Laramie, Wyo. --- The wire-to-wire game which San José State had a chance to win against Wyoming was over a month ago, but it was fresh in the minds of the Spartans as they entered Saturday's game against an ailing Cowboys team without their leading scorer.
Josh Adams' season-high 26 points and a highlight reel of Wyoming dunks erased those memories, and sent the San José State men's basketball team away from the Arena Auditorium with a 77-60 loss in Mountain West play.
"They're struggling trying to find themselves without Larry (Nance, Jr.); a great player," said Spartans' head coach Dave Wojcik. "I liked our chances, but they just made shots."
It was the Adams and Rashad Muhammad show in the first half, as the two traded baskets back and forth. Three straight makes from beyond the arc were part of a burst of 13 straight points for Muhammad midway through the period. His points helped the Spartans (2-22, 0-12 MW) to a 16-8 run, and when Ivo Basor hit a three of his own with 2:43 left, the Spartans cut the lead to 33-29.
"Rashad kept us in the game by making shots," Wojcik said. "But he is starting to understand the game better. Rebounding, and going after loose balls. He gave us second chances, and I'm proud of him for his overall game."
Adams would put an end to the surge with six straight points to conclude the half and give Wyoming (20-6, 9-4 MW) a 10-point lead heading into the locker room.
The Cowboys used a couple of layups and four consecutive dunks to push the lead out to 17 points, and get a raucous crowd even more fired up.
"They came at us there, just like they did at the beginning of the game," said Wojcik. "That just separated them from us and gave them the momentum."
Muhammad scored a team-leading 23 points, but had only five in the second half. He added 10 rebounds to complete his first double-double of the season. Jaleel Williams was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and finished with 14 points.
Wyoming had four players finish in double-figures, including Adams who added six rebounds and seven assists.
"I like that kid," Wojcik said of Adams. "He's a competitor. I told him to quit hitting threes on us at the buzzer."
San José State returns home next week for two games against Utah State on Wednesday, and San Diego State on Saturday. Tickets for both contests are available at the Spartan Ticket Office which can be reached by telephone at 408-924-7589.
Newspaper Box Score
San Jose State vs Wyoming
2/14/15 4 p.m. MT at Laramie, Wyo. (Arena-Auditorium)
At Laramie, Wyo. (Arena-Auditorium)
WYOMING 77, SAN JOSE STATE 60
SAN JOSE STATE (2-22, 0-12)
Muhammad, Rashad 6-19 7-8 23; Williams, Jaleel 5-10 0-3 14; Thornton, Isaac
2-5 2-2 7; Mitchell, Brandon 1-4 3-6 5; Gaynor II, Darryl 1-5 2-2 4; BASOR,
Ivo 1-1 0-0 3; Singer, Ryan 0-0 2-3 2; Mahoney, Danny 0-5 2-2 2. Totals
16-49 18-26 60.
WYOMING (20-6, 9-4)
ADAMS, Josh 9-15 5-6 26; GRABAU, Riley 4-8 2-2 12; COOKE JR, Derek 3-3 5-8
11; HERNDON, Alan 5-7 0-0 10; McMANAMEN, Jason 3-4 0-0 8; HANKERSON
JR,Charles 3-9 2-3 8; LIEBERMAN, Jeremy 1-2 0-0 2; BARNES, Jonathan 0-1 0-0
0; BENTZ, Jack 0-0 0-0 0; AKA GORSKI,Alexander 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-50 14-19
77.
San Jose State................ 29 31 - 60
Wyoming....................... 39 38 - 77
3-point goals--San Jose State 10-25 (Williams, Jaleel 4-8; Muhammad, Rashad
4-10; Basor, Ivo 1-1; Thornton, Isaac 1-2; Mahoney, Danny 0-3; MITCHELL,
Brandon 0-1), Wyoming 7-22 (ADAMS, Josh 3-8; McMANAMEN, Jason 2-2; GRABAU,
Riley 2-5; HANKERSON JR,Charles 0-5; LIEBERMAN, Jeremy 0-1; AKA
GORSKI,Alexander 0-1). Fouled out--San Jose State-None, Wyoming-COOKE JR,
Derek. Rebounds--San Jose State 33 (Muhammad, Rashad 10), Wyoming 30 (ADAMS,
Josh 6; HANKERSON JR,Charles 6). Assists--San Jose State 9 (Singer, Ryan 2;
Mitchell, Brandon 2; Mahoney, Danny 2; Thornton, Isaac 2), Wyoming 18
(ADAMS, Josh 7). Total fouls--San Jose State 18, Wyoming 19. Technical
fouls--San Jose State-TEAM, Wyoming-None. A-7870