Short-handed Cowboys Lose to Denver in OT, 90-87 [VIDEOS]

For the first time since 1998, the Denver Pioneers won a men’s college basketball game in Laramie with a 90-87 overtime victory over the Wyoming Cowboys Tuesday night.

Denver (4-7) went 15-15 at the free throw line, which helped close out their victory. Donoven Carlisle had a tip-in off a missed basket with 21.4 seconds left in the extra period that put the Pioneers up for good, at 86-84. Joe Rosga made four free throws in the final 10 seconds that iced it. Jake Hendricks half-court three at the buzzer provided the final margin.

Rosga led Denver with 22 points. He was one of four Pioneers in double figures. Ade Murkey followed with 17 points but fouled out with 39.5 seconds left in regulation. Denver shot 49 percent from the field. They had a 43-24 edge in rebounding.

Wyoming (3-7) was led by Hendricks career-high 27 points, which included a career-best seven 3-pointers. Justin James scored 26 points. Hunter Thompson tied his career-high with 15 points. Hunter Maldonado added 10 points but left after he was undercut with 10:37 left in the game.

The Pokes shot 53 percent from the floor. They went 11-22 on three’s, but just 12-18 at the foul line. UW did force 20 Denver turnovers and scored 24 points off them.

James said it was their defense and effort on the glass that was most concerning.

After the loss, Cowboys’ head coach Allen Edwards was disappointed with the same two areas but also knew the loss of Maldonado hurt the short-handed UW team.

Senior guard Nyaires Redding also did not play and was not with the team after he was suspended earlier in the day.

Denver led by as many as 14 points early in the second half. Wyoming began its comeback with back-to-back triples by Hendricks. After a basket by James, Maldonado was undercut as he went for an offensive rebound. He laid on the floor for nearly 10 minutes before he left in a wheelchair.

James made the ensuing free throws that got UW within five, at 57-62. The Pioneers got a three but then were held to three baskets and a free throw over the last 10 minutes of the game. James eventually tied it on a pair of free throws with 23.9 seconds left. Denver missed a jumper and shot in the paint from a few feet away that would have won it in regulation.

James made a three with 3:56 left in OT that gave the Pokes their first lead since 10 minutes left in the first half. The teams traded the lead over the next five possessions. Two free throws by Rosga with 1:40 left in OT gave Denver the lead. James tied it with a pair of foul shots with 44.8 left.

Wyoming jumped out to a 21-11 lead with 14:43 left in the first half, as they made eight of their first nine shots. The Pioneers responded with an 18-4 run over the next five-and-a-half minutes. They stretched their advantage 48-39 at halftime.

The Cowboys are off until Friday, Dec. 21 when they play East Tennessee State in the Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, TX. That game will start at 5 p.m., Mountain Time.