by staff–23 Dec ’15
In a contest that saw the Wyoming Cowboys (7-6 overall) erase a 15-point deficit, the Houston Cougars (9-2 overall) outlasted Wyoming in double overtime by a score of 94-89 on Tuesday night in Cox Pavilion in the Global Sports Classic. Senior Josh Adams scored a game-high 34 points for his third-straight game with over 30 points. Junior Jason McManamen added a career-high 23 points for the Pokes.
“It was a lot of great effort by both teams tonight,” UW head coach Larry Shyatt said. “Our guys are growing up and are competitive and I love the way we play and have comeback capability.”
The Cowboys trailed by as much as 15 in the contest and with a strong second half that featured a 21-7 run over 11 minutes helped give the Pokes a six point lead late in the frame. Houston battled back late to tie the game and a missed three-pointer by Trey Washington III sent the Pokes’ to their second overtime contest of the season.
The Pokes’ second half surge was fueled by 50 percent (10-of-20) shooting from the field and 84.6 percent (22-of-26) shooting from the free throw line. Wyoming’s bench also came up big in the second half and the overtimes adding 23 points. The Cowboys held the Cougars to 30 percent (10-of-33) shooting in the second stanza.
In the first overtime each team developed chances to take the contest. The Cougars led late in the frame, but a free throw by Alexander Aka Gorski and a layup by Adams sent the game to double overtime tied at 79-79.
In the second overtime the Cougars used 13-4 run to take the contest. The run was after McManamen hit a three pointer to give the Pokes’ an 85-81 lead.
The Pokes struggled offensively in the opening frame with 11 turnovers compared to five by the Cougars. Wyoming shot only 28 percent (7-of-25) percent from the field with five of those baskets being from behind the arc. Houston was strong from the field in the opening stanza shooting 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field.
For the game, Wyoming shot 39 percent (22-of-57) from the field and 32 percent (9-of-28) from behind the arc. Wyoming was strong from the line shooting 78 percent (36-of-46). It was the most free throw attempts for the Cowboys this season. The Cougars shot 42 percent (33-of-78) from the field and 25 percent (8-of-32) from the three-point line, while shooting 87 percent (20-of-23) from the free throw line.
The Cowboys outrebounded the Cougars 47-44. Wyoming’s 47 rebounds was a season-high. The Pokes also committed a season-high 21 turnovers in the contest.
Adams added a game-high 34 points by going 16-of-19 from the free throw line for a new career-high with 16 made free throws. He also led the Pokes by adding eight rebounds. McManamen’s career-high 23 points came off of shooting 50 percent (7-of-14) from the field. Aka Gorski added 12 points for the Pokes for his second double-figure scoring contest of the season.
Wyoming opens the Mountain West conference slate on Dec. 30 with a road contest at San Diego State with tipoff slated for 8 p.m. MT.
