Utah State uses strong 2nd half to hold off Wyoming 71-67

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Utah State weathered the storm and fought off a feisty Wyoming squad Tuesday night, grinding out a 71-67 victory in a hard-fought Mountain West clash at Arena-Auditorium.

Despite an off night from beyond the arc, the Aggies (20-3, 10-2 MW) leaned on their interior presence and defensive intensity to secure their sixth straight win over the Cowboys.

Utah State dominated the paint with 38 points inside and took full advantage at the free-throw line, sinking 31 attempts to hold off Wyoming's late push.

The Aggies entered the second half trailing 35-30 but responded with a 15-2 run, flipping the momentum and quieting the Wyoming crowd.

Ian Martinez sparked the surge, scoring 5 quick points to jumpstart the offense, while the Aggie defense tightened up, holding the Cowboys without a field goal for over three minutes.

Martinez finished with a game-high 19 points, attacking the rim relentlessly and making key plays down the stretch. Drake Allen provided a steady presence with 11 points and four assists, while Mason Falslev nearly notched a double-double, posting 9 points and seven rebounds.

Wyoming clawed back into the game with a 7-0 run midway through the second half, cutting the Aggies' lead to 1; however, Utah State's defense clamped down when it mattered most.

The Cowboys' top scorers, Jordan Nesbitt and Dontaie Allen, were held scoreless for the first 10 minutes of the second half after combining for 19 points before the break.

Utah State extended its lead to 64-56 with just over a minute to play, capitalizing on Wyoming's cold shooting stretch that lasted over six minutes. Clutch free throws from Falslev helped ice the game as the Aggies fended off Wyoming's late desperation push.

The win keeps Utah State firmly in second place in the Mountain West standings, trailing only New Mexico.

Utah State now travels to California for a matchup against Fresno State on Friday, while Wyoming stays home to host UNLV on Saturday.

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