Will Tyser made two free throws with 6.5 seconds left that iced the Laramie Plainsmen’s second straight conference win at home Saturday afternoon.

Laramie topped the Thunder Basin Bolts 67-63 and has gotten of to a 2-0 start in the second half of league play.

Plainsmen head coach Travis Brown was proud of his team.

“From beginning to end, they gave it all they had. Great team effort, a lot of guys stepped up again. You’re led by the guys you expect to be scorers, but the other guys did great jobs in their roles.”

Nate Burman scored 20 points to lead three Plainsmen in double figures. Hudda Herrera scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds before leaving in the fourth quarter with an unknown injury. Chad Browning added 13 points.

Laramie (9-11, 3-5) shot 44 percent from the field. They also had a 31-25 edge in rebounding.

Thunder Basin (5-14, 1-7) was led by Jesus Abeyta with 15 points. The Bolts shot 38 percent.

The Plainsmen held a 65-63 lead, which gave Thunder Basin a chance. Abeyta’s three from the left corner hit the side of the backboard and was rebounded by Tyser, who was immediately fouled.

Brown added, “As a coach, I’ve gotta be honest, you feel pretty comfortable when you see Will (Tyser) go to the free throw line.”

It was the second straight meeting that neither team got much separation. The game saw 11 lead changes and was tied seven times, the last of which was 50-50 early in the fourth.

The Plainsmen won back-to-back games for the first time since late December.

Brown admitted, “It’s fantastic, and they’re having fun. They’re dialed in. They’ve really bought in, and they’re competing every minute in my mind. We’re not taking plays off. If you look at our turnovers the last four games, today 11… we were averaging over 20 for a while there, and now they’re pretty manageable.”

Laramie Lady Plainsmen

Thunder Basin scored the final 10 points in the game and rallied past the Laramie Lady Plainsmen Saturday, 57-53.

The Bolts’ Shelby Tarter scored her only points of the game on an offensive rebound and put-back off a missed free throw with 18.7 seconds left. That proved to be the difference in the second straight game between the two schools that featured a five-point or closer margin. The first meeting on Jan. 26 was a 61-56 victory by Thunder Basin.

Lady Plainsmen head coach Laura Pollard knew it was a tough loss.

“At the four-minute mark they took the timeout, and I said it’s just like Central. We just pull it out, do our 2-1-2 and make them come at us. For some reason we started turning the ball over, not going to our spots, and they went on a 10-0 run, and there’s your ballgame.”

Laramie (8-12, 3-5) was led by Jennifer Aadland with 16 points and 13 rebounds. They shot 33 percent from the floor and also had 30 turnovers.

Thunder Basin (15-4, 7-1) shot 27 percent for the game, but had only 20 turnovers. Madi Miller’s 13 points led three Bolts players in double figures.

The Lady Plainsmen jumped out to a 9-2 lead early and pushed it to 16-8 in the second. The Bolts rallied cut it to one, 21-20, by halftime. Thunder Basin began the second half on a 14-6 run and built a 34-27 lead. Laramie rallied and closed the third quarter on a 13-2 run thanks to a three by Aadland and a buzzer-beating three by Delaney Qualls. LHS stayed in front and had a 53-47 lead late until Thunder Basin’s run.

Pollard said she wouldn’t mind another shot at the Bolts.

“Actually we do (match up with them). If you’re watching the ballgame, it was a good game. It was exciting, and I think we play the same style of basketball.”

Up Next

Laramie stays at home, as they will host Gillette and Sheridan for doubleheaders on Friday night and midday Saturday. Games are at 5:30 and 7 p.m. Friday followed by 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday.

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