Utes crush Cowboys in MWC opener

Wyoming-Utah boxscore

By Wyoming Sports.org

The Wyoming Cowboys have consistently been inconsistent this season and Saturday was no exception.

After playing possibly their best basketball of the season on Wednesday before falling in overtime to Utah State, the Cowboys opened Mountain West Conference play with a dud, falling to Utah 91-67 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

The Cowboys, whose only lead was at 2-0, trailed by 10 a halftime and by as much as 25 in the game.

“We just didn't play very well, we can play better,” Wyoming coach Heath Schroyer said. “I give (Utah) a lot of credit, they played really well. We were just a step slow and a couple seconds late on everything and they took advantage of it, and that was the game.”

Utah’s 7-foot-2 center, Luke Nevill scored a career-high 29 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked five shots as the Cowboys had no defense against the big man.

"We all know that Luke can score the ball,” Utah coach Jim Boylen said. “He's got great hands and he's a great passer, but we've had to improve defense and rebounding and he did that today with five blocks and 13 rebounds. I'm proud of him."

Schroyer said that the Utes are a good team for a lot of reasons, but they have the best post presence in the league.

“”I think Nevill is a late first-round draft pick and they surround him by four guys that can shoot it and a guy who can really slash it,” Schroyer said.

Carlon Brown added 15 points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Utes (9-5, 1-0 Mountain West), who won their third straight game by holding the Cowboys to 35 percent shooting.

“We won on the defensive end of the floor, won by rebounding, and that's what it's got to be. This league is as tough as it gets. League play is a grinder and I thought we grinded it well today,” said Boylen. “I love winning the rebound game, I love winning the free-throw attempt game and I love having 20 assist on 32 baskets. That's what I hope we become this year, a team that defends and rebounds and shares the ball.”

Wyoming(11-4, 0-1) had been on the road in Utah for six days, following a three-game tournament at nearby Utah State earlier in the week, and looked the part.

“As coaches, we can't make excuses. Utah is a very good team,” Schroyer said. “It was the fifth game on the road for us and playing a very good team, it took a toll on us. I have to give Utah a lot of credit, I think they are a lot better than they were a year ago because they are a year older, and they are very good in transition.”

Brandon Ewing made five 3-pointers and scored 26 points for Wyoming, but fellow leading scorers -- Sean Ogirri, Tyson Johnson and Afam Muojeke -- combined for just for 29 shooting.

Despite the big victory over the Cowboys, Boylen said Wyoming has improved since last year.
“They are more athletic, their deeper and they have a big-time player,” Boylen said. “But I think that we have improved and we are deeper and we are better.”

The Cowboys will now have a little time to work in their problems, as they don’t return to action until hosting San Diego state on Jan. 14.