[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″] John Denega
The Pokes are coming off a heartbreaking OT loss to the Lobos in The Pit on Wednesday.
That marked the second time the Lobos and Cowboys went to OT this season, with New Mexico gaining the upper hand in both instances.
The Runnin Rebs, on the other hand, are coming off a shellacking in Ft. Collins, Colo. versus the Rams and that will likely motivate them for Saturday’s home game as they try to keep pace with the top half of the conference.
There is no word yet on if head coach Larry Shyatt will be on the sidelines on Saturday. If he is absent for the second consecutive game, one of his assistant coaches, Jeremy Shyatt, Allen Edwards or Scott Duncan, will coach the team in Vegas.
The Pokes are 2-1 without Shyatt, which is a testament to the strength of this coaching staff. The squad seems to embrace the adversity, and have not missed a beat.
I believe that the return of sophomore guard Josh Adams, and the extra energy that he will bring to the floor, along with the confidence the team can pull from a close loss in The Pit will propel them to a close victory in Las Vegas.
Prediction: Cowboys 68, Runnin’ Rebs 65[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″]Kendyll Ferrall
kferral1@uwyo.edu
This Saturday the Cowboys continue to play on the road, facing off against the fourth-ranked UNLV Rebels. The Rebels are coming off a loss to Colorado State that ended their four game win streak. They will be looking to get back on a winning track and if their previous games are any indicator, that’s exactly what they will do when they face off against the Cowboys.
Rebounds will be crucial in this game, an area that the Cowboys have not performed well in. In New Mexico’s last game, they had a total of 36 rebounds compared to Wyoming’s previous game of 22 rebounds.
Specifically, Wyoming will need to work on their offensive rebounds, where they lose a majority of their points, if they want to be successful against New Mexico. The Cowboys are averaging nine offensive rebounds this season in conference play while the Lobos are averaging 36.
The return of Wyoming’s second leading scorer, sophomore guard Josh Adams; will boost their performance both offensively and defensively. Adams brings an offense consistency and will be looking to prove himself after sitting out the Cowboys’ last game, but I don’t think it will be enough to leave the Thomas & Mack Center with a win.
Prediction: UNLV Lobos-65 Wyoming Cowboys- 60[/su_column] [/su_row]
Adam Croft
acroft2@uwyo.edu
UNLV has been a classic case of all talent and no substance this season. They recruit well, and they have a top-notch staff, but since conference play has started they have regularly lost to teams with more character (i.e. Nevada, Colorado State).
Wyoming, on the other hand, has shown a fair-amount of grit all season. They’ve regularly played well in overtime, and competed well despite not having sophomore guard Josh Adams or head coach Larry Shyatt.
The Rebels have been miserable defensively all season, especially lately (they allowed CSU to score 75). If the Pokes want to win, they are going to have to exploit UNLV’s weak defense and put up big numbers.
I think that Adams will shine in this matchup. He’ll be playing a weak offense and he is coming of a suspension, so he should have something to prove. Look for him to score in the range of 20 points.
Overall, I think the Pokes grab a win in this one, with or without Larry Shyatt.
Prediction: Cowboys 58, Runnin’ Rebels 50
