Bennett Leads Cowboys in Wire-to-Wire Win Over Colorado State, 68-57

University of Wyoming Athletics Press Release
3 days ago
3 min read

LARAMIE, Wyo. (Jan. 31, 2026) – The Wyoming Cowboys led wire-to-wire and Khaden Bennett gave an al-time performance with a double-double in a 68-57 win over Colorado State in the first edition of this season’s Border War inside the Dome of Doom on Saturday. The Pokes move to 13-9 overall and 4-7 in the conference, as Wyoming played in front of the largest crowd of the season of 6,384.

“I will say this, a complete game from start to finish and elite execution from our guys,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. “I always worry about being too high and too low and where guys are at after the Utah State game and we were just right and were dialed in tonight. What really drives it home is when you walk out and see that crowd and holy cow, that is the home court advantage. The atmosphere tonight was as good as I have coached in and that is a shout out to the fans.”

Bennett recorded a season-high 22 points and tied a season-high with 10 rebounds for the Pokes’ first double-double of the season. He also hit a career-high six three pointers tying a season best for a Cowboy. He also added three steals in the contest. Damarion Dennis added 16 points going 8-for-8 at the free throw line. Leland Walker added 10 points and a team-high four helpers. Adam Harakow added nine points and five rebounds.

The Pokes recorded 12 threes in the contest shooting 48 percent from behind the arc. The Cowboys held Colorado State to 4-of-23 form behind the arc for 17 percent, as CSU ranked fifth in the nation in three-point percentage heading into the game. Wyoming shot 44 percent from the field with the Rams shooting 40 percent. The Pokes held a 32-31 advantage on the glass and scored 10 points off turnovers.

Bennett was on fire early hitting a trio of threes and helped the Pokes build a 9-3 lead. Nasir (Naz) Meyer added a bucket, and the Pokes held the Rams without a point for over four minutes. Dennis added a basket for a 7-0 run and 13-3 game with 13 minutes left in the first half.

The Rams would make three-straight field goals and make it a 16-9 contest halfway through the first half. Wyoming would move it to 10 points once again on a Bennett bucket, as he got to double figures. But Colorado State continued the hot shooting and pushed within six at 21-15 near the eight-minute mark of the frame.

Bennett would add a dunk off a turnover, but the Pokes went scoreless for over two and a half minutes with the Rams making it a 26-19 game. That dunk was the last bucket of the frame for the Pokes, as UW went 5:46 without a basket and took a 27-23 lead at the half.

The Pokes opened the second half with threes from Bennett and Meyer for a 33-25 lead. The Rams responded and an and-one play made it a 35-30 game with 17:54 left. Wyoming went on a scoring drought of two and a half minutes, as CSU made it a 37-33 contest. Dennis added a pair of free throws, and another Bennett triple made it a 42-33 game with under 15 minutes left.

After the Rams responded with a 5-0 run, but the Pokes went on a 12-0 run over nearly six minutes with threes from Harakow, Dennis and Bennett as the Pokes took a 54-38 lead with seven minutes left.

Colorado State hit four-straight baskets and would make it an eight-point contest at 57-49 with four minutes remaining. Dennis pushed it back to 10 points at the line seconds later. A dunk by Gavin Gores maintained the 10-point lead with under three minutes left, but a layup by CSU made it a 61-53 game with under two minutes left.

The Cowboys used the free throw line to make it a 64-53 game with 1:27 left, but the Rams added a bucket for a nine-point game seconds later. The Pokes would then get it done at the line and took the game 68-57.

The Rams were led by Jevin Muniz with 14 points with Kyle Jorgensen adding 13 points.

The Pokes return to action on Tuesday with a trip to San Diego State in a contest slated for a 9 p.m. MT start on CBS Sports Network.