Cowboy Basketball Corrals Coyotes For Third Win

Leonard Washington scored a career-high 18 points and Arthur Bouedo added 14 to help the Cowboys defeat the South Dakota Coyotes 67-to-56 Tuesday night at the Arena-Auditorium.  Washington also grabbed 10 rebounds for his first career double-double.  He blocked four shots for good measure, as well.

Washington scored 12 of his points in the second half, as UW made an effort to pound the ball inside.  The Cowboys ended up with 34 points in the paint.  Washington finished 6-9 from the field and 6-9 at the free throw line.  All of his rebounds came on the defensive end and his four blocks tied a career high.

Bouedo got his first start of the season after Luke Martinez was withheld from the game because of concussion-like symptoms following a collision in practice. The senior went 6-9 from the field, made one three and was 1-1 from the line.

I'm very happy for Arthur (Bouedo). Before the game, our medical staff told us that Luke (Martinez) wouldn't be available. We knew someone would have to step up, and Art was that guy.
-Head Coach Larry Shyatt

An early 16-2 run in the first half gave Wyoming an 18-7 lead at the 10:09 mark.  South Dakota pulled back within six at 21-15, after an 8-3 run.  The Pokes held a 31-24 lead at halftime, but failed to score a field goal in the final six minutes.

The Cowboys (3-1) built the lead in the second half to 15 points, at 46-31, with 12:50 remaining.  The closest the Coyotes (1-3) got was within eight points, at 53-44, with 7:33 left.  UW stretched it back out to 16 points and finished up with the 11-point victory.

Wyoming's defense held South Dakota to 39 percent shooting from the field, including 13.3 percent from beyond the arc, which tied a season-low for a Cowboy opponent.  The Pokes are allowing only 50.8 points per game to opponents this season, which is best in the MW by nearly four points.

UW shot 51 percent from the field, including 60 percent in the second half.  They went just 2-10 from 3-point range, were 17-25 (68 percent) from the free throw line and out-rebounded the Coyotes, 35-31.  They also had a season-low seven turnovers.

A busy weekend lies ahead for the Pokes, who will participate in the Jim Thorpe Classic on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, facing Portland State, Maryland Eastern Shore  and Louisiana Tech. Wyoming will play at 7 p.m. each night in the Arena-Auditorium.