Wyoming Defeats San Jose State University 66–62
- Jeff Bugher
- 4d
- 2 min read
Updated: 3d
LARAMIE, Wyo. - The San Jose State University Spartans basketball team made the trek from sunny California to the Arena Auditorium in Laramie. An elevation of 7,220 feet and overnight temperatures below zero welcomed the team on Saturday. SJSU entered the contest with a 6–13 overall record, while Wyoming came in at 11–8 on the season.
First Half
The first half featured plenty of back-and-forth action. When the buzzer sounded, Wyoming held a 31–21 lead. Three-point shooting was a struggle for the Cowboys, as they went just 2-for-12 (17%). Both teams attempted 27 shots, but Wyoming connected on 10 compared to SJSU’s eight. The Cowboys were efficient at the free-throw line, going 9-for-10. Leland Walker led all scorers in the first half with eight points.
Second Half
In the second half, Wyoming shot 10-for-22 from the field, while the Spartans went 12-for-28. SJSU found success from beyond the arc, going 7-for-13, while Wyoming was held to 0-for-4. The Spartans clawed their way back into the game, briefly taking the lead and later tying it. Damarion Dennis led Wyoming’s second-half scoring with 11 points.
Final
When the final buzzer rang, three Cowboys finished in double figures, led by Damarion Dennis with 16 points. Gavin Gores added a career-high 15 points. Wyoming struggled from the perimeter, hitting just two of 16 three-point attempts, but finished 20-for-49 from the field overall. Free-throw shooting continued to show improvement, as the Cowboys went 24-for-27 from the line. Wyoming totaled 32 points in the paint, 44 rebounds overall, and 33 defensive rebounds. The final score was Wyoming 66, San Jose State University 62.
The 4,125 fans in attendance were vocal throughout the second half, especially during the final six minutes.
Head coach Sundance Wicks spoke about the impact the crowd had on the game.
“They didn't have any timeouts at the end of the game, partly because of the altitude, but also probably because they wanted to talk about it in a nice setting where they didn't have people just screaming in their ear the entire time.”
Wicks continued, “When our fans can get loud, and they can force a guy into maybe a turnover or a bad decision, or they can't call a play, or they have to call a timeout because they can't hear - that’s a home-court advantage.”
“We needed a margin, and they [the fans] gave us one today,” Wicks said.
The win was critical for a team that has been on a skid. Damarion Dennis summed it up best postgame:
“I feel like we definitely needed this. …We just need to keep competing and keep practicing hard, and improve.”
Wyoming will head to Logan, Utah, on Wednesday to face Utah State for the final time as conference foes.
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