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There is one thing you can count on the Nevada Wolf Pack to do well this season despite a lack of offensive consistency and that is rebounding. The Wolf Pack are in the top ten nationally in rebounding and lead the Mountain West in this category. A strength for a team that has its struggles scoring this season.
But today, Wyoming outworked the Wolf Pack on the glass.
The Cowboys out-rebounded Nevada by a count of 34--24 as that nullified Nevada best performance on offense as the Wolf Pack (6-14, 2-6, MW) lost to Wyoming (18-4, 7-2 MW) 63-55 at the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie. The loss is the sixth in a row for the Wolf Pack.
Another issue for the Wolf Pack is the lack of scoring production outside of Tyron Criswell and AJ West. Criswell scored 17 points (13 in the first half) and AJ West scored 15 points (all in the second half) but the other Wolf Pack starters struggled. Marqueze Coleman, Lucas Stivrins and Eric Cooper Jr., went a combined 5 for 17 from the field for 14 points between those three starters. That is, simply put, not good enough when playing against the best teams in the Mountain West like Wyoming.
The Cowboys had four of their starters score in double figures. Riley Grabau led all Cowboys scorers with 18 points and went a perfect 9 for 9 from the free throw line.Grabau's backcourt mate, Josh Adams, scored 13 points and the starting forwards, Larry Nance Jr., and Derek Cooke Jr., chipped in 11 points and 14 points respectively.
The interesting thing about this game is that Nevada played well enough to win this game. Shooting 42 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free throw line but what cost the Wolf Pack the game was getting out-rebounded by Wyoming and the lack of production from Wolf Pack players not named AJ West or Tyron Criswell. Nevada needs the other starters to contribute for the Wolf Pack to stand a chance in ending this losing streak.
Nevada heads back to Reno to face the San Diego State Aztecs on Wednesday night while Wyoming hosts Colorado State in Laramie in a key game in the Mountain West standings on Wednesday night.