Cowboys Push Aggies to Brink, But Fall in End 70-67
Agbim records double-double
LOGAN, Utah (Dec. 4, 2024) – The Wyoming Cowboys used the recipe of three-point shooting and defense to push the undefeated Utah State Aggies to the brink in a 70-67 loss at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in Logan, Utah on Wednesday in the MW Conference opener. UW hit 12 threes in the game and held USU way below their season offensive averages.
“All-in-all pleased with the effort and not pleased with the outcome,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. “We are still a young team at where we are at as Cowboys and the faith the guys showed and their preparation was outstanding. We show great patients and did not panic down the stretch. We wanted a make or miss game and got it and the game plan worked, but they made more winning plays in the end.”
The Cowboys were led by Obi Agbim with 17 points for his eighth game this season in double-figures. He also added a career-high 10 assists for his first career double-double. Kobe Newton added 17 points with a career-high five three pointers. Jordan Nesbitt nearly missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Dontaie Allen added nine points with a season-high three triples.
The Pokes shot 50 percent from the field and knocked down a season-high 12 threes shooting 46 percent. Utah State shot 41 percent from the field and 29 percent from behind the arc. USU was shooting 50 percent for the season and 38 percent from behind the arc. The Aggies did damage from the line going 19-of-26. Utah State also held a 35-27 lead on the glass.
Both teams got off to slow starts offensively with Wyoming holding the Aggies to 1-of-6 from the field to open the game. The Pokes would add a few buckets for a 7-3 lead in the opening four minutes. The Aggies battled back and tied the game at 11-11, but a triple from Kobe Newton made it a 14-11 game with 12 minutes left in the opening frame
Nesbitt and Touko Tainamo added a pair of threes for a 20-16 lead halfway through the first frame. The Cowboys would go scoreless for over four minutes with the Aggies tying the contest, but a Allen three gave UW a 23-20 lead with just over five minutes left in the half.
The Wyoming defense found a groove holding USU to 1-of-9 from the field and took a 27-22 lead on a Agbim jumper. A rare four-point play by Utah State made it a 29-28 game with under 90 seconds left in the first stanza. The Aggies added a three-pointer and free throw and took a 32-29 lead into the half.
A quick 5-0 run by the Cowboys gave UW a 34-32 lead in the early goings of the second half. Wyoming held Utah State without a field goal for the first five minutes of the half, but USU took a 38-36 lead with 14:55 remaining.
Utah State went on a 6-0 run and took a 46-39 lead, but Nesbitt got to double-figures with a triple for a four-point game with under 12 minutes left. USU pushed the lead to eight points with under 10 minutes left in the contest.
Allen hit his third triple of the game and Newton added another with Wyoming making it a 56-52 contest with 7:31 left. The Pokes would then make it a 56-56 contest holding USU scoreless for over two minutes with under six minutes left. Newton gave Wyoming a brief lead with a three-pointer.
Utah State went on a 6-0 run and took a 54-59 lead with under four minutes left. Newton made it a two-point contest at 66-64 with a three, but a quick layup by USU made it a 68-64 game with a minute left. Another layup pushed it to six points with 34 seconds another three from Newton made it a 70-67 game with six seconds left. On the inbounds Nesbitt earned a steal and nearly made a half-court shot to tie the game, but UW fell 70-67.
The Aggies were led by Ian Martinez with 23 points. Mason Falslev added 19 points on the night.
Wyoming will remain on the road and return to non-conference action with a trip to South Dakota on Dec. 10 in a contest slated for a 6 p.m. MT start.