The Wyoming Cowboys (3-1) will welcome the Southeastern Louisiana Lions (2-2) to Laramie for the opening game of the Cancun Challenge on Friday evening, Southeastern Louisiana Athletics reports.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MST at the Arena-Auditorium, where Wyoming aims to extend its strong home-court performance.
This matchup marks the first of three games in the Cancun Challenge for the Lions, who are fresh off a hard-fought win over Louisiana-Monroe. Wyoming, meanwhile, looks to build on its recent victory against Utah Tech as part of a four-game home stretch that has defined the start of its season.
Wyoming has found early success at home this season, winning three of its four games at the Arena-Auditorium. Key contributors include Obi Agbim, who is averaging a team-leading 19 points per game while shooting a blistering 60% from three-point range. Kobe Newton adds 12.3 points per game with a strong 53.8% accuracy from beyond the arc. Jordan Nesbitt, who anchors the Cowboys’ rebounding efforts with 9.8 boards per game, posted a double-double in the win over Utah Tech.
As a team, Wyoming averages 81 points per game and dominates the boards with 42.5 rebounds per contest. Their efficiency from the field (48.4%) and three-point range (34.3%) sets a high standard for their opponents.
For Southeastern Louisiana, Friday’s game represents the fourth contest in a grueling 10-game road trip. The Lions recently showed resilience in their win at Louisiana-Monroe, led by Jakevion Buckley’s 16 points and Sam Hines Jr.’s double-double performance with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Hines has been a consistent force for the Lions, leading the team with averages of 15 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. Buckley contributes 13 points per game and leads SLU in assists, averaging 4.3 per game. Southeastern averages 73 points per game while shooting 46.6% from the field.
The Lions will need to rely on their defensive efforts to counter Wyoming’s offensive firepower. Southeastern has been effective at limiting opponents’ three-point shooting to just 28.3% and holds a slight edge in turnover creation.
Wyoming’s deep offensive arsenal will test Southeastern’s defensive capabilities. The Lions will look to their balanced scoring and improved bench production, as evidenced by Thomas Tut’s 11-point contribution in the ULM game, to stay competitive.
For fans unable to attend, the game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network and broadcast via Southeastern’s Sports Radio Network. Wyoming fans will have another chance to see the Cowboys in action before they embark on the road themselves.
After Friday’s contest, Wyoming will prepare for its next home game, while Southeastern heads to Mexico for two additional games in the Cancun Challenge.
