Cowboys Close Strong, Down Grand Canyon 70-65 in Phoenix
The Wyoming Cowboys delivered a poised finish on the road Saturday night, using a decisive late surge to secure a 70-65 win over the Grand Canyon Lopes inside Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix.
Wyoming controlled the final minutes with a 12-0 run over the last five minutes, silencing the home crowd and flipping a tight contest into a road victory. The Cowboys emphasized interior defense and unselfish offense throughout the closing stretch, executing on both ends when it mattered most.
Simm-Marten Saadi turned in a career performance, scoring a career-high 13 points in just 15 minutes of action. He connected on three shots from beyond the arc and finished 5-of-9 from the field, recording his first double-figure outing in a Wyoming uniform. Leland Walker also scored 13 points and dished out four assists, while Nasir Meyer added 11 points, three rebounds and three steals. Khaden Bennett contributed nine points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Wyoming shot 40 percent from the floor, knocked down eight three-pointers and converted 14-of-19 free throws. The Cowboys generated 17 points off turnovers and held a slight 38-36 edge on the glass, including 12 offensive rebounds. The bench proved pivotal, outscoring Grand Canyon 34-2.
The Cowboys opened with an early 8-5 advantage behind triples from Bennett and Damarion Dennis. Defensive pressure held the Lopes without a field goal for more than four minutes midway through the first half, helping Wyoming extend the lead to 13-7. Walker’s jumper later pushed the margin to 18-10 before Grand Canyon responded with a 9-0 run to take a one-point lead.
The Lopes briefly stretched their advantage to five late in the half, but Wyoming closed strong. Saadi trimmed the deficit in the final minute before Meyer’s bucket sent the teams into halftime tied at 28-28.
Wyoming regained momentum early in the second half. A three from Saadi and a jumper by Walker built a 35-30 lead, and Saadi’s second triple made it 38-32. Grand Canyon answered with a push of its own, capitalizing on turnovers to tie the game at 50-50 with just over six minutes remaining.
The Cowboys responded in the decisive moments. After trading scores, Saadi drilled another three to give Wyoming a 56-55 edge. Walker followed with an and-one to spark a 6-0 run, and the Cowboys extended it to 12-0 for a 65-55 cushion with 36 seconds left. Grand Canyon connected on late threes to narrow the gap, but Wyoming held firm to secure the victory. Notably, the home team remains winless in the all-time series.
Grand Canyon was paced by Makaiah Williams with 29 points, including five three-pointers. Jaden Henley added 15 points, and Nana Owusu-Anane grabbed 12 rebounds.
Wyoming returns to action Tuesday with a 7 p.m. road matchup against the Boise State Broncos, airing on the MW Network.