Francisco Cruz, guard for the University of Wyoming, dodges a University of New Mexico player. (Photo: Dyann Diercks)
The Arena Auditorium on the University of Wyoming campus was electric Saturday afternoon as the Cowboys welcomed in the 30th ranked University of New Mexico Lobos. The crowd was treated with a tough–fought game, but the Cowboys eventually fell to the Lobos 62–72.
UW’s Francisco Cruz started off the game with a breakaway dunk. However, this would be just the first of two times the Cowboys were able to hold a lead. The Lobos came out of the gates with hot hands, hitting their first two threes and continuing to shoot 54.5 percent on 12–22 shooting in the first half. UW shot just 40.7 percent on 11–27 shooting and went into the half trailing 34–30.
The Cowboys came out of halftime with energy and were able to tie the game at 37. UW kept the game close until they hit a wall with 13:40 left in the game. The Cowboys went scoreless for nearly 6 1/2 minutes, ending the drought with a Cruz jumper with 7:16 remaining. At this point, the team was down seven points and the Lobos never looked back. UNM pulled away to extend their lead to a game high 15 points. The game ended in a ten point spread, 72–62.
Leonard Washington, forward, and Larry Nance Jr., guard/forward, watch the play during Saturday's game. The Cowboys fell to the Lobos 72–62.
“I have a disappointed locker room,” Head Coach Larry Shyatt said. “We know who we are and this a game we felt we could have won.”
Wyoming was lead by Cruz with 22 points. Leonard Washington and Luke Martinez both added 15 and 11 points respectively.
As a team, the Cowboys shot 42.3 percent compared to New Mexico’s 52.3 percent. Wyoming was able to hold preseason Conference Player of the Year Drew Gordon to just eight points and five rebounds.
The crowd’s electric intensity did not go unnoticed by the team. Shyatt acknowledged the crowd with a mass text message to students which said, “We can’t thank (the students) enough; we appreciated the energy they gave us and hope we can play into their hearts.”
The Cowboys will return to the court Wednesday when they travel to the Air Force Academy. The game will take place at 6 p.m.
