LARAMIE, Wyo. (Feb. 17, 2024) - The Wyoming Cowboys shot over 50 percent from the field for the eighth time this season for a 80-75 win over San Jose State in the Provident Event Center in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday evening. The contest saw Kenny Foster make his return to the Cowboys after missing 133 days with an injury, as he played 12 minutes in the contest. Wyoming moves to 13-12 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
"It was a gutty win and that is an understatement with some guys banged up and sick," UW head coach Jeff Linder said. "We told the guys you have to go out and win this game. Then the miracle of it all is Kenny Foster returning. It takes a year to recover and he stepped on the floor four months later and all he wants to do is be out there. For Kenny to do that is incredible and tells you what kind of person he is and i'm so proud."
Wyoming had four players in double-figures led by Sam Griffin with 21 points and seven rebounds. Akuel Kot added 20 points going 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Mason Walters added 18 points and seven rebounds. He was 7-of-12 from the field. Brendan Wenzel playing under the weather added 11 points. Foster added two points and two rebounds.
The Pokes shot 51.8 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from behind the arc with 10 threes with nine in the first half. The Pokes dominated the glass in the contest by a mark of 37-25. SJSU shot 48.2 percent from the field and added eight three pointers.
Wenzel added a pair of triples early to give the Cowboys a 10-6 lead in the first five minutes of the game. Walters made it a 12-6 game with a bucket at the 14:04 mark of opening frame. Wenzel and Griffin added threes along with a pair of free throws from Kot for an 8-0 run and 20-9 lead.
Foster, who returned from Achilles injury in the preseason would find Griffin for a three-pointer for a 27-19 lead. Foster added a bucket earlier for his first points since the regular season finale last season. Caden Powell added a jumper to halt a brief run by SJSU for a 32-24 lead with six minutes left in the half.
Kot and Powell capped a 7-0 run for the Pokes for a 37-24 lead with three minutes left in the first frame. The Pokes would take a 43-29 lead into the half shooting 51.6 percent from the field.
The Spartans opened the second frame on a 7-0 run to make it a 43-36 game for the Pokes with 17 minutes left. Walters helped push the lead back to nine points with buckets in the paint. The Spartans made it a six-point game, but a three from Kot and four free throws from Walters made it an 11-point game at 56-43 with under 12 minutes left.
SJSU cut the lead to nine points, but Kot pushed it back to 11 points until MJ Amey added a triple for SJSU for a 62-54 game with eight minutes left. The lead was pushed to seven points at 68-61 with an and-one play with 5:32 remaining and later 68-63 30 seconds later.
The Spartans tied the game at 7070 with 2:48 remaining. Walters gave Wyoming a lead with a jumper seconds later. He added another basket with two minutes left for a 74-70 advantage. Amey added a triple for a one-point game, but Walters answered right back with a bucket for a 76-73 game with 65 seconds left.
Griffin added a pair of free throws for a 78-73 game with 17 seconds left. SJSU added a bucket, but Griffin won the game at the line for the 80-75 win.
The Spartans were led by Amey with 19 points and six assists. Latrell Davis added 20 points in the contest.
Wyoming continues their road swing on Tuesday heading Nevada for a 9 p.m. MT contest on CBS Sports Network.