The Wyoming Cowboys took down the Charleston Cougars in the consolation bracket of the Myrtle Beach Invitational for their first win in the tournament this Friday. The game was a low scoring affair as the Cowboys stout defensive effort ultimately led them to victory after what was another sloppy game offensively for the Cowboys.
The Cougars would open the game by cashing in their first three point attempt and would come out flying on defense as the Cowboys turnover woes from their previous game against Saint Louis would carry over and the Cougars would complete an old fashioned three point play on the other end to begin the game 6-0. Brendan Wenzel would end the run from the Cougars, finishing a nice feed from Sam Griffin for his first made field goal in the Myrtle Beach Invitational. Griffin would then use his speed to get to the rack and score his first bucket of the game. Caden Powell would show off his footwork in the paint as he would score off a nice move in the low post to tie the game up at 6-6.
Akuel Kot would knock down a free throw and cash in a nice step back jumper for two as the Cowboys would take a 9-6 lead over the Cougars, their defense holding the Cougars scoreless for 5 minutes until they hit a three to tie it back up. Oleg Kojenets would show off his own nice footwork in the paint as he’d score his first bucket down low as well and freshman Kael Combs would score off a nice feed from Wenzel. Newton would also score his first bucket on a fast break layup but the Cougars would answer as they would lead 16-15 midway through the first half as both teams struggled to score early and would both be turning the ball over often. Kot would knock down his first three and hit another free throw to give the Cowboys a one point lead in the late goings of the first half.
The Cowboys and the Cougars would battle back and forth late in the first half, but neither team could really get going until Combs would once again give the Cowboys a spark off the bench and Kot would cash in his second three to give the Cowboys a 30-28 lead going into halftime.
The Cougars would come out of the locker room and tie it up in their opening possession but the Cowboys and Powell would have the answer as he would finish an and-one to give the lead back to the Cowboys. The Cowboys couldn’t manage to pull away, though, as three would tie both teams up at 37 before Griffin would knock down his first three and would slash into the paint and complete an and-one play to give the Cowboys their largest lead at 6. The Cougars would answer, but Newton’s first three would keep the lead at 6.
The Cowboys couldn’t manage to build on that 6 point lead midway through the second half, as they’d go on a massive scoring drought and the Cougars would take a 47-46 lead before Cam Manyawu would finally enter the scoring column with three free throws and would drop a dime to Kojenets who would score give the Cowboys the lead back. The Cougars would score and bring it within 2, but Griffin would knock down a clutch three that was quickly answered as it was a 54-52 game in favor of the Cowboys with 5 minutes left. The back and forth action continued late in the second half, as both teams would seemingly have an answer to each other every step of the way. Griffin would continue to be clutch late in the half, as he’d knock down another triple in the face of a Cougar defender to give the Cowboys a 62-57 lead with a little over a minute left in the contest. The Cowboy defense would hold true late and they would knock down their free throws to earn a 67-60 win.
The Cowboys defense was a massive highlight in the 67-60 win, as they held the Cougars to 31.5% from the field and 18.9% from deep while the Cowboys shot 53.8% from the field and 40% from deep. The Cowboys were outmatched on the glass, though, as they were outrebounded by 8 and gave up an ugly 23 offensive rebounds to the Cougars. The Cowboys continue to struggle handling the basketball, as they coughed the ball up and astounding 22 times in the contest, making that number 41 turnovers in just two games.
The Cowboys were led by Griffin offensively, who scored 24 points in the contest with 22 of those points coming in the second half. Kot and Powell rounded out the Cowboys in double figures with 10 each. Wenzel led the Cowboys in both rebounding and assists, snagging 8 rebounds and dishing out 6 assists.
The Cowboys return in their final game of the Myrtle Beach Invitation on Sunday, where they will play the winner of Furman vs Coastal Carolina.
