LARAMIE – Wyoming's chances to compete appeared bleak.
 
Already shorthanded with Matija Belic and Jared Harris sidelined since late December, Gavin Gores and Abou Magassa joined the walking wounded ahead of Saturday's matchup with first-place Utah State.
 
The Cowboys (13-11, 4-9) had also lost by 32 points nine days earlier in Logan, and the Aggies (20-3, 11-2) were coming off impressive wins over fellow Mountain West contenders San Diego State and New Mexico.
 
But on the final possession, UW had a chance to tie or win the game after clawing back twice from double-digit deficits.
 
Nasir (Naz) Meyer missed a floater and Utah State escaped with the 85-83 win at the Arena-Auditorium.
 
"I learned that this team has real grit, and we have real resilience," UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. "We can get back up off the mat, and we can get back in the ring and fight again. We can keep it close. But now, the next step is that we have to steal one. We've got to be a team that can go someplace or play a good team that's in the top of the league and steal one, and that's a step for our program."
 
Meyer, who had missed time and lost significant weight with his own health issues, returned to his dynamic self with 19 points. Damarion Dennis led the Cowboys with 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting with Leland Walker adding 15 points and Khaden Bennett contributing 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
It was UW's first loss this season when four players score in double figures.

On the other end of the court, the Aggies shot 64.4% from the field, including 71.4% in the second half and 50% on 3-pointers. Mason Falslev led Utah State with 27 points on 10-for-14 shooting while answering every run by pesky Pokes with a crowd-silencing basket.
 
"I like the way our small-ball lineup looked offensively, just defensively, man, that's a really good offensive team over there," Wicks said. "We won the possession battle by 19 and they still win the game because of how efficient they are. They make you pay for every defensive miscue."
 
Despite missing three key forwards, the Pokes were only out-rebounded 28-27 and finished with more second-chance points and more points off turnovers than Utah State.
 
All eight of UW's healthy scholarship players contributed. Wicks isn't into moral victories, but his team earned the respect of the potential MW champion.
 
"I give Wyoming a ton of credit," Utah State head coach Jerrod Calhoun said. "They had two big guys out and went to the four-guard lineup. They did a nice job. Sundance is a good coach. I knew this would be an absolute war."
 
The bruised and battered Cowboys took Sunday and Monday off to rest and recover. Preparation for the second chapter of this season's Border War begins Tuesday.
 
UW, which defeated Colorado State 68-57 on Jan. 31 in Laramie, faces the Rams on Saturday at Moby Arena (2 p.m., MW Network).
 
"It shouldn't change no matter who we play," Meyer said of the valiant effort against Utah State. "We should always keep the same energy, and Coach says to distort your competitive reality … you always have to have the same mentality."
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
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