The Wyoming Cowboys (2-1) endured a tough night on the road, suffering a 96-49 defeat to the Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0) at United Supermarkets Arena on Wednesday.
Despite a promising start, Wyoming struggled to maintain momentum, ultimately falling victim to a relentless offensive onslaught and defensive pressure from the home team.
The Cowboys managed to briefly take a 9-8 lead early in the first half when Kobe Newton nailed a long three-pointer as the shot clock expired. However, that was the last glimpse of hope for Wyoming, as Texas Tech unleashed a dominating 14-0 run fueled by a series of turnovers and fast-break points. By the time the first half concluded, the Red Raiders had stretched their lead to 46-20.
Wyoming’s turnover issues plagued them throughout the game, with the Cowboys handing over the ball 25 times, leading to 40 points for Texas Tech. Head coach Sundance Wicks expressed frustration with his team’s performance after the game, calling out the lack of passion and execution.
“We didn’t show up to the fight… We brought a butter knife to a gunfight. We have to do a better job handling pressure,” Wicks said.
While Wyoming struggled, Texas Tech was red-hot offensively. Led by New Mexico transfer JT Toppin, who posted a game-high 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, the Red Raiders shot an impressive 64% from the field, including a scorching 77% in the second half. Toppin’s inside-out game proved too much for the Cowboys, as he made 10 of his 15 field goal attempts, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc.
Chance McMillian was also stellar for the Red Raiders, contributing 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range. Darrion Williams added 14 points, and Devan Cambridge chipped in with 10 points, as Texas Tech found scoring from multiple sources.
Despite the lopsided score, the Cowboys had some bright spots. Obi Agbim led Wyoming with 15 points, but he struggled with turnovers, giving up six of the team’s 25 giveaways. In the paint, the Cowboys were outscored 22-14, and despite grabbing more offensive rebounds in the second half, their lack of consistency on both ends of the floor was evident.
Wicks acknowledged the team’s shortcomings but emphasized the need for growth and effort as the season progresses.
“We’ve got to show more passion and focus… This was a punch in the mouth, but we will learn from it. Our next challenge is to get better for our upcoming games,” Wicks said.
Wyoming will look to rebound when they face Utah Tech at home this weekend, with Wicks vowing to keep a close eye on the effort and intensity levels of his players.
For Texas Tech, this win continues their dominant start to the season. The Red Raiders shot the ball with remarkable efficiency, making 12 consecutive field goals at one point in the second half. Their offensive display was too much for Wyoming to overcome, and head coach Grant McCasland’s squad now sits at 3-0 on the season.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, have much to work on. With 25 turnovers and a shooting percentage of just 34% for the game, Wyoming will need to regroup and focus on their fundamentals as they move forward.
Despite the tough loss, Wicks remains optimistic that his team will improve.
“We are too talented to be losing by 50… We’ll get back to work and make sure we’re ready to go next time,” he said.
CBS19 News, 7220sports.com, and ESPN contributed to this report.
