Pokes Still Looking for Elusive First MWC Win
By
Published 1-25-2008
The search continues for the Cowboys.
The University of Wyoming is still looking for its first conference victory of the season following a Jan. 23 setback at UNLV.
The Cowboys lost a game in which they outplayed the opposition, in terms of numbers.
In a 78-71 loss to the Rebels, the Pokes (6-11 overall, 0-5 Mountain West) outrebounded UNLV 40-27 and shot the ball better from the field (46% to 37%). Unfortunately for the Cowboys, the loss came down to costly turnovers at inopportune times - Wyoming’s season-long Achilles Heel. The Cowboys gave up 18 turnovers compared to only two for the Rebels.
“We outshot them. We outrebounded them, but we just had a couple costly turnovers going down the stretch,” head coach Heath Schroyer said. “We’re asking a lot of guys to grow up, and I think when you do that, in the short-term, you’re going to go through some lumps. But obviously in the long-term, I think we’ll be better for it.
“And 18, obviously, is not going to get it done for us on the road.”
Just how the loss will affect the Cowboys remains to be seen, but Schroyer was very clear about the approach he’ll take when Colorado State rolls into Laramie on Saturday.
“I told our guys in the locker room, if we come out with any less intensity or any less concentration than we did against Vegas, we can’t have success,” he said. “We’re not guaranteed anything, but we’re guaranteed that if we don’t play with that kind of intensity and that kind of concentration, we’re not going to have success.
“They’re a good basketball team.”
CSU knows firsthand about Wyoming’s struggles. The Rams (6-12 overall, 0-4 Mountain West) are losers of five straight games and currently sit in eighth place in the conference - just a half game ahead of the last-place Cowboys. CSU is led by guard Marcus Walker, who is averaging 17.6 points per game, and center Stuart Creason, who averages 12 points and six rebounds per contest.
Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in the Arena Auditorium in Laramie.
Advertisements
