SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dec 15, 2025) – The Wyoming Cowboys opened the contest 9-of-10 from the field and cruised to an 87-72 neutral site win over South Dakota State inside the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Monday evening. Wyoming finishes the non-conference slate 9-2 after the first victory away from the Arena-Auditorium.
"I told our guys today the job is not done, and we have to prove we can go on the road and win a game," UW head coach
Sundance Wicks said. "This was a great precursor for conference play as South Dakota State is a physical basketball team. I got a locker room of guys who are connected and care about winning. I want to see players respond and this group is doing so. We are playing unselfish right now and are hard to guard and we put pressure on them early with our guard play."
The Pokes shot 54 from the field for the night and held the Jackrabbits to 40 percent. The Pokes were solid from the line going 17-of-20 for 85 percent. UW was 14-of-17 from the line in the second frame. The Pokes dominated the glass in the contest with a 38-21 advantage. SDSU did hit 10 threes on the night, as UW hit eight.
Nasir (Naz) Meyer led the Pokes with 25 points going 10-of-14 from the field. The reigning MW Freshman of the Week added seven boards and four three pointers.
Khaden Bennett added 11 points and went 6-of-6 from the line and led the team with nine rebounds.
Leland Walker added 13 points and led the team with five helpers.
Matija Belic added 10 points and six rebounds.
Both teams could each only muster one bucket each in the first two and a half minutes of the first half.
Kiani Saxon added a one-handed slam, and Meyer added a triple for a 7-2 advantage for the Brown and Gold.
The Pokes went on a 6-0 run attacking the paint to take a 13-5 lead with under 15 minutes left in the first half.
Damarion Dennis capped the 9-1 run with an and-one play for a 16-6 lead.
The Cowboys opened the game 9-of-10 from the field and enjoyed a double-digit lead until the Jackrabbits went on a 7-0 run to make it a 20-15 game halfway through the half, as Wyoming went scoreless for 10 minutes.
Meyer added a triple for his second of the game for a 26-17 lead and
Simm-Marten Saadi would add another triple for a 29-17 lead with six minutes left in the frame. The Pokes would add another run and a triple from Dennis highlighting the run for a 36-22 lead with under three minutes left in the half.
SDSU cut the lead to single digits, but Walker pushed down the floor in the closing seconds of the half to make it a 40-29 lead at the half. Wyoming shot 55 percent from the field in the frame.
The Pokes pushed the lead to 43-29 in the early goings of the second half, as Meyer got to double-figures and Saxon added a free throw. Belic added an and-one play and Bennett added a pair of free throws for a 48-31 lead with under 18 minutes left.
Meyer found
Gavin Gores to cap a 6-0 run, as UW pushed the lead 54-33 with under 16-minute remaining.
Abou Magassa would get it done at the line and a triple from Bennett in the corner made it 61-38 game for the Pokes.
South Dakota State went on a 9-0 run to make it a 61-47 game with 10 minutes left. Walker halted the run with a shot clock beating three-pointer. But the Jackrabbits added a quick 5-0 run to make it a 12-point game at 64-52.
Meyer added an acrobatic jumper and the Pokes on a 10-0 run and took the lead to 74-52 with six minutes left. Walker capped the run with a laying racing through the paint to get to double-figures, as Bennett also got to double figures during the run.
Wyoming would continue to put on the pressure and attack the paint late and walked away with the 87-72 victory.
The Jackrabbits were led by Kalen Garry with 15 points. Jaden Jackson added 14 points, as both players hit four three pointers
The Cowboys open conference play Saturday hosting Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. in the Arena-Auditorium.