GETTING INSIDE
Wyoming’s 6-6 record has a dark lining attached—the Cowboys haven’t won a road game.
That’s not a good sign with Mountain West Conference play looming. The league is known for tough road venues; being unable to notch a few breakthrough wins away from home is a sure tonic for a lower-division finish.
The Cowboys are 0-3 on the road after losing to Northern Iowa 72-54 on Dec. 23. They lost to Tennessee by 19 points eight days earlier and also lost at Denver on Nov. 25.
Like the Tennessee game, the Cowboys hung around for a while against Northern Iowa before things got out of hand. Wyoming trailed by one at halftime before being outscored 38-21 in the second half.
The Cowboys were just 2-6 in Mountain West Conference road games last season, and those wins came against Colorado State and Air Force. Colorado State finished eighth in the league and Air Force didn’t win any conference game.
Wyoming must improve its road performance if it hopes to make a move up the standings. Fail to improve, and the Cowboys will have a hard time bettering the 7-9 conference record they had a year ago.
NOTES, QUOTES
• Wyoming is last in the Mountain West Conference in scoring defense (74.1 points per game) but leads the conference in steals per game (9.7). Sophomore guards A.J. Davis (team-best 26 steals) and JayDee Luster has (20) lead the thievery.
• The Cowboys committed a season-low nine turnovers against South Dakota one game after committing a season-high 29 against Tennessee.
January At A Glance: Wyoming has a chance to create some noise in Mountain West Conference play because of the pace it plays. Some conference teams will struggle with the 7,000-foot elevation of Laramie, Wyo., and the Cowboys have 10 players averaging more than 12 minutes per game. That depth will become important as the league season deepens.
Quote To Note: “He’s going to be a good one. It’s nice to have him in the rotation because he can defend, rebound and alter shots. Amath will bring energy every night.”—Wyoming coach Heath Schroyer, on forward Amath M’Baye, who became eligible to play Dec. 20 after sitting out 10 games due to an issue over his amateur status.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Season Recap: Wyoming has been streaky in nonconference play, when its lack of experience has occasionally been displayed. F Ryan Dermody is the only senior on the team, and he’s a reserve. Junior F Djibril Thiam, the team’s most experienced starter, has played well, shooting 58.5 percent from the field while scoring 10.8 points per game.
Player Rotation: Usual Starters—F Afam Muojeke, F Djibril Thiam, C Boubacar Sylla, G A.J. Davis, PG JayDee Luster. Key Subs—G Desmar Jackson, C Adam Waddell, G/F Ryan Dermody, F Amath M’Baye, F Daylen Harrison.
Game Review:
Tennessee 77, Wyoming 58
Wyoming 86, South Dakota 74
Northern Iowa 72, Wyoming 54
Game Preview:
vs. Akron, Wednesday, Dec. 30
vs. Adams State, Saturday, Jan. 2
vs. Colorado State, Wednesday, Jan. 6
vs. San Diego State, Saturday, Jan. 9
at TCU, Tuesday, Jan. 12
In Focus: The Cowboys don’t play on the road again until Jan. 12 and hope the home cooking will help them get on a winning streak. Akron, Adams State and the Mountain West opener against Colorado State are all winnable games before Wyoming faces a tough task against San Diego State.
Roster Report:
• Freshman F Amath M’Baye joined the team for the South Dakota game after missing the first 10 games due to an NCAA ruling on his amateurism. M’Baye was born in Senegal and moved to France as a child.
• Sophomore wing Thomas Manzano left the program due to personal reasons. Manzano averaged 7.0 points in eight games.
• Freshman PG Desmar Jackson is making a case for more minutes off the bench by scoring in double figures four times in a five-game stretch. Jackson is fifth on the team in scoring (8.7 points per game) and is a much-better shooter than starter JayDee Luster.
