The Wyoming Cowboys played their final game of the regular season against Fresno State, beating the Bulldogs 64-68 in their fourth overtime win this season.
“Our guys knew this was a must-win game. We needed this win to put ourselves in the best position possible moving toward Vegas and the Mountain West Tournament,” Head Coach Jeff Linder said.
Saturday afternoon’s game was the Pokes’ sixth overtime victory under Linder. They have not lost a game in overtime since Linder was hired to the position in March 2020.
Wyoming rocketed out of the chutes in the opening phases of the first half, particularly thanks to Xavier DuSell and his 3-for-5 three-pointer rampage within the first five minutes of the game.
DuSell made a total of five three-pointers and led the Cowboys with 21 points, making Saturday his third over-20 game with the Cowboys.
Graham Ike followed with 16 points and eight rebounds, making up a quarter of the team’s total rebounds and contributing to the Pokes’ eight second-chance points.
The first half concluded with a score of 28-32 in favor of Wyoming.
The Cowboys added 25 points and the Bulldogs 29 in the second half, which ended with Hunter Maldonado making two free throws with 0.2 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score 57-57 and sending the game into overtime.
“I was just walking around behind him (Maldonado),” DuSell said. “I had total confidence that he was going to make those shots. We didn’t have a choice.”
These free throws were Maldonado’s fourth and fifth points of the game, as he played the majority of the game wearing a mask as a result of an injury he suffered in the previous game against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Maldonado contributed five additional points during overtime.
While Maldonado’s 10 points was lower than his 18.7 average-per-game this season, he did add eight assists and six rebounds, putting him at 498 assists and only four away from passing Sean Dent for the all-time record of assists at Wyoming.
Maldonado, of Colorado Springs, CO, was one of three seniors who were celebrated and recognized on Saturday, the others being Drake Jefferies of Mattoon, IL, and Hunter Thompson of Pine Bluffs, WY.
“This was a great game for our seniors, Hunter Thompson especially,” Linder said. “To see the Wyoming native step in when Graham [Ike] fouled out and make the huge winning play in overtime, drawing that charge––I am so happy for him.”
The Cowboys head to face UNLV in their first matchup of the Mountain West Championship tournament in Las Vegas on Mar. 10.
