Nevada vs. Wyoming: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds
Cowboys looking to stay at the top of the conference
Contact/Follow @MWCwire
Can Nevada play spoiler?
Wyoming (22-5, 11-3) looks to get back to their winning ways as the Cowboys host Nevada (12-14, 6-9), who is coming off a loss of their own.
WHO: Nevada (12-14, 6-9) at Wyoming (22-5, 11-3)
WHERE: Arena-Auditorium; Laramie, Wyoming
TIP: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
TV: CBS Sports Network
STREAM: FuboTV — Get a free seven-day trial
ODDS: Cowboys -7
Wyoming has been one of the hottest teams in the Mountain West, consistently sitting atop the conference and even ranking 22nd in the country. However, the Cowboys have been struggling as of late. Wyoming had a bad loss to New Mexico a little over a week ago and recently lost to Colorado State Wednesday night. Nevada has been on an up and down rollercoaster themselves. The Wolf Pack went to San Jose State and beat the Spartans by 30, and then hosted inter-state rival UNLV and lost 62-54.
Wyoming is led by the dynamic duo of Graham Ike and Hunter Maldonado. The pair is averaging nearly 40 points a game combined and are truly proving to be a top-tier duo in the conference. Ike is averaging 20 points and nine rebounds a game, making a true case for Mountain West Player of the Year. Maldonado isn’t fair behind his teammate, averaging 19 points, five rebounds, and six assists per game. Both players had great games the first time these two teams met in Reno. Ike scored 24 points, while Maldonado scored 11 in a 77-67 win for Wyoming. The Wolf Pack will also have their eye on the Cowboy’s third-leading scorer, Drake Jeffries. Jeffries averages 10 points a game, but exploded against the Wolf Pack, notching 20 points including six threes in the win.
Nevada is coming off a loss against UNLV which marked their first sweep against the Wolf Pack since the 2013-14 season. It is worth noting that Desmond Cambridge Jr. sat out against the Rebels, which hindered the Wolf Pack’s scoring ability. If Cambridge Jr. does play, the Wolf Pack will once again lean on the guard play of Grant Sherfield and Cambridge Jr. Nevada has to hope that their two all-conference guards can produce and receive help from a third option. Warren Washington had a good game against UNLV, scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Will Baker has been playing well as of late but slumped against the Rebels. One player that played well in the middle of the season, but has struggled as of late, is Kenan Blackshear. Blackshear averages eight points per game but can prove to be a scoring threat when hot. If Cambridge Jr. is out yet again, look for Blackshear trying to get into a rhythm early.
Keys for Wyoming
The Cowboys play incredibly well on both sides of the ball, ranking second in scoring and third in field goal percentage in the Mountain West. When getting down low, Wyoming rarely misses, ranking 10th in the nation in 2-point percentage with 56.6%. The Cowboys need to stick with what they do best and feed Ike and Maldonado. In the loss against Colorado State, the two had a combined 12 points. Both Maldonado and Ike will need to increase their scoring total in what will be a big bounce-back game from the two players. Wyoming will also need to key in on Grant Sherfield. With or without Cambridge Jr., Nevada’s offense flows through Sherfield, dictating the Wolf Pack’s offensive success. If Wyoming can limit the offensive production of Nevada’s guards, they will be in a good position to get back to their scoring ways.
Keys for Nevada
Nevada’s success will largely be dependent on the playing status of Cambridge Jr. If the guard can play, then Nevada will need to do what they have been doing all season and lean on their guards and hope they can contribute. It is becoming a mystery which the third scorer for the Wolf Pack will step up. If either Will Baker or Warren Washington can provide valuable offensive minutes down in the paint, things could open up offensively for the Wolf Pack.
Prediction
This contest against Wyoming will be an uphill battle if Nevada is fully healthy, start taking Wolf Pack players out of this game, and it will be a long contest in Laramie Saturday evening. If Cambridge Jr plays, it will be a closer game, but either way will end in a Cowboys victory. Wyoming will be fired up coming off a loss to Colorado State and will look to get back to their winning ways. Nevada doesn’t have the offensive firepower to keep up with Wyoming at home. The Cowboys take this game, 78-64.
