RENO, Nev. – Wyoming's search for some late-season momentum continues after the Cowboys lost 84-61 to Nevada on Tuesday night at the Lawlor Event Center.
Kobe Newton scored 16 points on 4-for-4 shooting to lead the Pokes, who shot 39.7% from the field and just 7-for-14 at the free throw line.
The Wolf Pack (16-12, 8-9 Mountain West) shot 53.1% and went 26-for-31 (83.9%) at the line to avenge a 66-63 defeat on Dec. 28 in Laramie.
A dunk by
Scottie Ebube and a 3-pointer by Newton got UW within six points in the second half, but Nevada went on a decisive 10-0 run to build a 63-46 cushion.
The Cowboys (12-17, 5-13) allowed the Wolf Pack, which had lost eight of the previous nine meetings in the series, to make nine consecutive field goals during one stretch while falling behind by as many as 23 points.
"Toughness is a talent and being tough is a choice as well," UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. "We weren't very physical tonight in the first half. I know when a team is a lot tougher than you when they go 26-for-31 from the free throw line, and we didn't foul at the end."
Obi Agbim scored 11 points and
Abou Magassa added eight points and eight rebounds for UW. Kobe Sanders paced Nevada with 27 points on 8-for-12 shooting.
UW leads the series 22-11 after falling to 6-6 all-time in Reno.
The Cowboys trailed 39-28 at the intermission after shooting just 29.4% from the field and getting outscored by 11 points at the free through line through 20 minutes.
Former UW guard Xavier DuSell scored five early points, and the visitors missed four of their first five shots as the Wolf Pack led 7-2 at the first media timeout.
After Nevada extended its lead to seven points, the Pokes heated up behind the arc with 3s from Agbim, Newton and
Jordan Nesbitt to close the deficit to 21-20.
The Wolf Pack answered with an 11-0 run that included eight consecutive free throws and a 3 by Davidson to make the score 32-20 with 3:01 remaining in the half. UW missed 11 consecutive shots until
Cole Henry ended the drought with a tough basket in the paint.
The Cowboys made six 3s in the half but were whistled for 10 fouls. Nevada was 13-for-15 at the line with Davidson making all six of his free throws to enter the break with 11 points.
UW only committed eight turnovers and had 12 assists on its 23 made baskets.
The Cowboys will host San Diego State at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Arena-Auditorium, which will be the final home game of the season.
"It's hard right now for these guys and they're going to have to make the choice come senior night Saturday who they want to be playing a good San Diego State team," Wicks said.