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Wyoming's JayDee Luster looks to make a move against Colorado State on Wednesday.
UW-CSU statistics
by Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
Wyoming head coach Heath Schroyer could only describe his team's 83-73 loss to rival Colorado State on Wednesday night one way: they were out-toughed.
In fact, Schroyer said his team was out-toughed in some form on six occasions in the post-game interview.
Despite shooting 53 percent from the field in the second half; despite hitting 10 3-pointers; despite getting career-highs in scoring from Adam Waddell, Arthur Bouedo and JayDee Luster, the Cowboys were woefully out-hustled on the boards and couldn't make key stops.
That all happened in the conference opener against their biggest rival because they were ... yes, out-toughed.
“Hats off to CSU, they played very well,” Schroyer said. “We were out-toughed and out-executed. I give them a lot of credit, they played very well.”
The Rams shot 50 percent from the field, 60 percent in the second half and out-rebounded the Cowboys 40-33, including 15 offensive rebounds that led to a 23 second-chance points. Wyoming also had 15 offensive rebounds, but just 14 second-chance points. Colorado State also had two more turnovers in the game, but scored 20 points off of Wyoming turnovers, to seven for the Cowboys.
“They took advantage of their opportunities, but we have to rebound and we can’t give them those opportunities for them to capitalize on,” Waddell said. “When we do have opportunities, we need to get the ball moving and capitalize on those opportunities.”
After struggling offensively in the first half, the Cowboys scored 46 points in the second half, shooting 53 percent from the field. It wasn't enough.
"We scored enough points to win -- that wasn't the problem," Schroyer said. "We made more threes tonight than we had all season and we shot 53 percent in the second half. But we couldn't get a stop when we needed one and we couldn't get a rebound when we needed one.
"At the end of the day, we got out-toughed and out-executed. It really pisses me off, but that is the truth."
Wyoming sophomore JayDee Luster said the loss was disappointing to him because he felt like it was all effort.
“It was like they wanted to win more than we did," Luster said. "That’s why they came out with the victory. It’s the little stuff, like rebounding. In rebounding, it is just a matter if you want to go get the rebound.”
So why did the Cowboys come out flat in the Border War? Luster said there's no good explanation.
“It’s against your conference rival, which is just down the street," he said. "I thought the coaches had a great game plan. We just didn’t come out and execute it.”
It was the first conference-opening win for the Rams since the 2003 season.
“They are all big, it counts as one,” Colorado State coach Tim Miles said. “Now we have to worry about Air Force. But I am proud of our players, they did a good job. This is a good win; all of these rivalry-type wins are.”
Andy Ogide scored 22 points as Colorado State 16 from the field and 6 of 8 in the second half.
“I thought Andy did a good job of getting the ball in a spot to where he could score. He stayed patient and didn't rush himself,” Miles said.
The Rams (1-0 MWC, 10-5) led the entire way and used strong outside shooting to hold off a late Wyoming charge.
The Cowboys (0-1 MWC, 7-8) got back in the game on a couple of 3-pointers by Bouedo, cutting the Colorado State lead to three with 4:30 to play, but the Rams responded with 3-pointers from Adam Nigon and Dorian Green and outscored Wyoming 15-8 down the stretch.
“We can’t trade baskets like we did. We played from behind a times this season, but in league play, it’s tough,” Wyoming sophomore Adam Waddell said. “The league is open, so you can’t do that in league.”
Nigon finished with 16 points for Colorado State, followed by Green with 15 and Travis Franklin with 10.
Waddell led Wyoming with 18 points, followed by Bouedo with 15 and Luster with 13. Bouedo was playing his first game of his career, after redshirting last season and sitting out the first 14 games this season because of NCAA rules on amateurism.
Wyoming's leading scorers, Afam Muojeke (17.6 ppg) and A.J. Davis (13.2 ppg), were held to just five and seven points respectively.
"I hope our guys realize after this loss the level of intensity they have to bring every night in conference play, and I would hope that some leadership is displayed in practice this week as we prepare for San Diego State on Saturday,' Schroyer said.
The Cowboys will host the Aztecs Saturday at 4 p.m.
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