Jan. 13, 2016
San Jose, Calif.----- Gary Williams, Jr., went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 1:27 to give the San Jose State University men's basketball team its first Mountain West victory in nearly two years outlasting the University of Wyoming, 62-55.
Williams, Jr., led the Spartans (6-11, 1-4 Mountain West) with a season-scoring high of 18 points, including San Jose State's last 10 points over the final 5:14 of the game.
Prior to defeating Wyoming, the Spartans' last conference victory was on February 18, 2014 at Nevada. San Jose State snapped a 27-game losing streak against conference opponents.
The Spartans did not relinquish the lead after a basket by Frank Rogers at 12:25 in the first half. San Jose State led by as many as 13 points, 32-19 with 4:29 before halftime.
Ryan Welage, with 13, Rogers, 11, and Brandon Clarke, 10, also scored in double figures for the Spartans who led 34-23 at halftime.
Alan Herndon led Wyoming (9-9, 2-3 Mountain West) in scoring with 14 points. Jason McManamen added 13. Josh Adams, fourth in the country in scoring with a 24.8 points per game average, was limited to 10 points. The Wyoming guard was 4-of-14 from the field and committed six turnovers. Two of the turnovers came in the final two minutes with the 6-foot-9 Clarke guarding the Cowboys' star. In all, four Spartans, Isaac Thornton, Princeton Onwas, Williams, Jr., and Clarke took turns guarding the Mountain West's leading scorer.
San Jose State outrebounded Wyoming, 39-22, and survived 22 turnovers and team foul trouble the entire evening. The Cowboys were able to stay in the game converting 15-of-22 free throws. The Spartans went to the free throw line 12 times, making nine including Williams' six at the end for the win.