The Wyoming Cowboys are currently the best three point shooting team in the Mountain West conference. They certainly looked the part in their first road win of the season, going 12/19 from beyond the arc, rolling to a 83-72 over the Air Force Falcons.
“On a quick turn around the guys did great,” head coach Jeff Linder said postgame. “After an emotional win [against Colorado State] we came down here and found a way to win.”
The Cowboys have already eclipsed their total win count from last season, which was nine. With this win, they’ve also surmounted their conference wins from last season as well, only earning four in the previous campaign.
Despite being the best three point shooting squad in the conference, the Cowboys have struggled to look the part in the other three road games they’ve competed in this season, going only a combined 27.6% from deep in conference road games this season.
All that changed in the Cowboys first road win this season. The Cowboys shot extremely well from everywhere on the floor, boasting a 56% mark from the field to go along with their impressive 63.2% mark from beyond the arc. The Pokes also went 15/18 from the free throw line.
The Cowboys had a slow start to the game, as the Falcons would race out to an early 13-5 lead off three made threes to open the game. Caden Powell and Mason Walters would both flex their muscles in the paint, though, as their effort down low and a Brendan Wenzel three would quickly make it 18-14.
The Falcons’ onslaught from the three point line would continue, though, as they had six made threes through the opening 10 minutes of the contest with a 24-19 lead. Kael Combs would knife his way to the basket for two and Kot would lace a three to tie it at 24 a piece. Both teams would battle back and forth late in the first half as Kot would score seven straight points for the Cowboys to end the half as the Cowboys were down 36-34 at half.
The Cowboys would continue their hot shooting in the second half, as both Wenzel and Kot couldn’t miss from beyond the arc. The Cowboys would earn themselves a two point 47-45 lead at the 15 minute mark of the second half and would go on a 16-0 run to jump out to a 58-45 lead midway through the second half before the Falcons could answer.
It was all Cowboy from that point on, as the Falcons struggled to string a run together to come back. Sam Griffin, the Pokes’ leading scorer, would notch his first points with a three at the 5:48 mark of the second half as the Cowboys led 63-52. The Falcons would only be able to bring the game within seven points late as both Wenzel and Kot would knock down their free throws late to give the Cowboys a nice 83-72 win for their first road win of the season.
The Cowboys were led offensively by the three-headed monster of Kot, Wenzel and Walters all with 20 or more points. Wenzel led the Pokes, going for a career high 25 points while shooting 6/8 from deep and 7/8 from the free throw line. Walters poured in 22 points on 8/12 shooting from the field and 6/7 from the free throw line. He also had 7 rebounds, as did Cam Manyawu to both lead the Cowboys in rebounding. Kot rounded out the scorers in double figures for the Cowboys with a 20 point performance and also led the Cowboys in assists with 5.
The Cowboys’ leading scorer, Griffin, had a very quiet night only notching 6 points.
The Cowboys continue their road swing this Saturday as they’ll travel to Las Vegas to play the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. The game is set to tip off at 6 p.m.
