Wyoming a Second-Half No-Show at No. 20 Utah State

* University of Wyoming press release

LOGAN, Utah -- The Wyoming Cowboys got off to a slow start in the second half falling on the road to No. 20/23 Utah State inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Tuesday evening in Logan, Utah by a score of 83-59.

It marked the third-straight road contest for the Cowboys against a team ranked or receiving votes in the Top-25. Wyoming falls to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in conference play with the Aggies moving to 15-1 and 3-0 in the MW.

“I thought the first half we put ourselves in position to win the game, but it isn’t a 20-minute game it is a 40 minute game,” UW head coach Jeff Linder said. “Coming out the half when you play a really good team and I give credit to coach Sprinkle is they don’t make mistakes and make winning plays.”

The Cowboys were led by Mason Walters with 17 points for a career-high in the Brown and Gold. Akuel Kot added 14 points and has scored in double-figures in 48 of his last 49 collegiate games. Brendan Wenzel added nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.

The Pokes were held to 40 percent from the field on the night with the Aggies shooting 53 percent and 61 percent in the second frame. The Aggies finished the night with a 32-27 advantage on the glass and scored 48 points in the paint on the night.

Both offenses got off to a fast start in the first five minutes with the contest tied at 14-14. Wyoming was 5-of-7 from the field to open the game with the Aggies starting the contest 6-of-10 from the field. USU would use the free throw line to build a 20-16 lead with just over 12 minutes left in the first frame.

The Aggies would take a 24-19 lead halfway through the first half, as turnovers by Wyoming lead to a pair of baskets for the Aggies. Both teams would then go scoreless with Aggies going two minutes and Wyoming going over four minutes. Kot ended the run with and and-one play for a 26-22 contest for USU with 7:30 left in the half.

Wyoming held Utah State scoreless for over two minutes and used a 7-0 run to make it a 30-29 game for the Aggies with just over two and a half minutes left in the half. Utah State built a 35-31 lead, but a goaltending off a Walters jumper made it a 35-33 for the Aggies at the half.

Utah State used an 11-0 run to open the second half and build a 46-33 lead on the Pokes in the opening three minutes. Griffin stopped the run with a triple at the 15:51 mark of the frame. Wyoming would go without a field goal for nearly three minutes, as Utah State built a 58-41 lead halfway through the second half.

Wyoming went without a field goal for over four minutes with the Aggies pushing the lead to 21 points with under eight minutes left. Utah State continued the pressure and would take the contest 83-59 for 14th straight win.

The Aggies were led by reigning Mountain West Conference Player of the Week Great Osobor with 20 points and eight rebounds on the night. He was 9-of-11 from the field. Darius Brown II added a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Cowboys return home on Saturday hosting Fresno State in the Arena-Auditorium in a 2 p.m. start.

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