Cowboys Drop Battle to San Diego State on Senior Day, 72-69

Pokes dominate glass, nearly erased eight-point deficit 

LARAMIE, Wyo.  (MARCH 1, 2025) – The Wyoming Cowboys dominated the glass, but the San Diego State Aztecs shot 50 percent from the field on their way to a 72-69 win over the Cowboys on Senior Day in the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie. Wyoming nearly erased an eight-point deficit with 75 seconds left and had a chance to tie the contest in the closing seconds but fell in the end with the two games against the Aztecs this season being a contest decided by a combined five points.

“We have played them really tough two times and out rebounded them by 17 and a Wyoming team hasn’t done that in a while to them and dominated in some fashions in physicality, but we didn’t hit the big shot or get the big stop we need, and it always comes down to those moments,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. “We need fewer paper cuts and mental mistakes, but I won’t fault the effort tonight because it was great.”

The Pokes shot 44.6 percent from the field in the contest. The Pokes were also held to 3-of-14 from three in the second half and finished with eight makes. Wyoming has a 39-23 lead on the boards with 16 offensive rebounds and scored 15 points on second chances. The Aztecs shot 50 percent from the field and added seven threes on the night. SDSU scored 20 points off turnovers and 13 points in the fast break.

The Pokes were led in scoring by Obi Agbim with 21 points and added six rebounds tying a season high. He has scored 20 or more points 10 times this season. Dontaie Allen added 16 points in the contest for his 10^th game scoring in double-figures in conference play. Matija Belic added 12 points in the contest for his third game in double-figures this season. He also added six rebounds, as UW had three players with six or more rebounds.

After Agbim gave Wyoming a 4-2 lead on a steal and score, the Aztecs went on a 7-0 run over two minutes to take a 9-4 lead near the 16-minute mark of the first half. Abou Magassa was solid on the offensive glass early and found Allen added a triple for a 11-8 contest.

Allen later added back-to-back buckets and tied the contest at 14-14 halfway through the half holding SDSU without a field goal for nearly four minutes. The Aztecs added a free throw and a layup for a 17-14 lead.

The teams would get hot from the field with the Pokes going 5-of-6 and the Aztecs making three-straight taking a 24-22 lead. The Pokes took brief leads with a slam from Jordan Nesbitt and a triple from Allen. Nesbitt tied the contest with a triple, but Agbim added a pair of freebies for a 29-27 lead for the Cowboys with five minutes left in the half.

Agbim gave Wyoming a 32-29 lead with a corner three off a pass from Kobe Newton with 2:55 left in the first half. Wyoming held the Aztecs without a bucket for over five and a half minutes and took a 34-33 lead into the half.

Cole Henry and Belic would give the Pokes a 39-34 lead in the early goings of the second half. Belic knocked down his second three of the game. The Aztecs made three-straight buckets including two threes for a 42-41 lead. The teams would then shoot a string of technical free throws with Wyoming coming up with a 47-46 lead with under 16 minutes left.

The Pokes held scoreless for a stretch, but the Aztecs went on an 8-0 run to build the lead to five points at 56-51 with just under 10 minutes left in the contest. The Pokes went without a bucket for three minutes until Agbim added a shot for a 58-56 lead for SDSU with under six minutes left.

The Aztecs would push the lead to six points at 62-56 with under five minutes left. Missed opportunities and the Aztecs capitalizing made it a 66-58 contest with under three minutes left.

The Pokes would battle back with a Agbim three and a dunk from Scottie Ebube for a 71-67 game in the final 30 seconds. The Pokes would then make it a three-point game on a Belic jumper. After a pair of missed free throws, Wyoming had a chance to tie the game, but could not get a shot off before the buzzer.

The Aztecs were led by BJ Davis and Miles Byrd with 18 each. Jared Coleman-Jones added 12 points and Nick Boyd added six assists.

Wyoming closes the regular season on Tuesday with a trip to Fresno State. It marks the second-straight season the Pokes have closed the regular season with the Bulldogs.