Cowboys Battle But Fall to Aztecs

Three of the last four visits to San Diego by the Wyoming Cowboys were anything but pretty. Wednesday night the Pokes showed their resiliency, as they fought the 24th-ranked Aztecs to overtime. Unfortunately, San Diego State blitzed the Pokes in the extra period, as they out-scored Wyoming 12-3 and pulled away for 67-58 victory.

The Aztecs scored the first seven points of OT and didn't look back. They ended their 3-game losing streak and remained in a second place tie in the Mountain West standings with UNLV.

The loss extends the Cowboys losing skid to four straight games.

San Diego State (21-6, 7-4) had four players in double figures led by Garrett Green off the bench with 14 points. Jamaal Franklin scored 12, while Chase Tapley and Tim Shelton added 10 points apiece.

Wyoming (18-9, 4-7) was led by Arthur Bouedo with 11 points and Adam Waddell with 10 points.

It was a game of runs in the first half. An 11-2 spurt early gave Wyoming a 13-4 lead, but that was quickly trimmed to one after a San Diego State 8-0 run. Bouedo's 3-pointer stemmed the tide, as the Cowboys regained a 21-14 advantage. Back came the Aztecs, as a 14-3 run gave them a 26-24 lead. UW closed the first half with a mini 6-0 burst and led 30-26 at half.

The second half saw Wyoming extend to a 44-35 lead with 11:14 left, but back came San Diego State. They tied it at 45 on a Green lay-up at the 4:39 mark. Green hit a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left, but a Luke Martinez 3-pointer with 29.2 seconds remaining tied it. Both teams had a chance to win it at the end of regulation, but both came up empty.

San Diego State controlled the extra five minutes for the 9-point win.

One key for the Pokes was their increased bench production. Bouedo and Larry Nance, Jr. combined for 20 points in defeat, 13 in the first half alone.

The Aztecs shot 44 percent from the field and out-rebounded UW 33-23. They held a 36-to-4 edge in points in the paint.

The Cowboys shot 44.4 percent and 9 made 3-pointers (41 percent from the arc) kept them in it.

Wyoming returns home for its' next two games. First up is the first annual "Coaches vs. Cancer" game against Boise State Saturday afternoon at 2 pm. Fans are encouraged to white to the game for a "white out." Radio coverage begins at 1:30 pm on KCGY (FM 95.1), with Cowboy Talk to follow.