Nov. 19, 2007
Box Score
BEAUMONT - Junior Kenny Dawkins scored a game-high 22 points, but Wyoming placed four players in double-figures and grabbed a come-from-behind 75-71 win Monday night in non-conference men's basketball action at the Montagne Center.
Lamar dropped to 1-2 on the season and Wyoming improved to 2-1 overall. The Cardinals remain at home to host Oral Roberts Saturday at 7 p.m. The Golden Eagles won last year's meeting in Tulsa and hold a 9-4 all-time series advantage.
Leading 36-30 at halftime, the Cardinals opened the second half with three straight field goals. Darren Hopkins nailed a three-pointer, Lamar Sanders hit a layup and Matthew Barrow hit a long three-pointer to give Lamar a 12-point lead, 44-32, with 18:03 left in the game.
Wyoming responded with a 14-0 run to get back in the game. Joseph Taylor started the run with an alley-oop dunk. Another Taylor dunk tied the game at 44-44 and Adam Waddell's jumper capped the run and gave the Cowboys a 46-44 lead at 12:43.
The game see-sawed back and forth for the rest of the game. A Barrow 3-pointer at 10:28 gave the Cardinals a 52-48 lead. A pair of free throws by Lawrence Nwevo and a layup by Dawkins pushed the Cardinals' lead to five, 58-53, with 6:15 left.
The Cowboys responded with a 9-0 run to take a 67-61 lead. Taylor hit a jumper, Ewing made a pair of free throws and a layup by Brad Jones gave Wyoming the lead for good at 62-61 at 3:12. Ewing nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing and a steal and resulting dunk by Taylor capped the run at 1:12.
Lamar twice cut the lead to three in the closing minute, on a pair of free throws by Sanders and a layup by Barrow, which made the score 70-67 at :39. The Cowboys made 6 of 8 at the free throw line over the final 49 seconds to seal the win.
Wyoming shot a blistering 73.7 percent (14-of-19) from the field in the second half, including 50 percent (3-of-6) from 3-point range, and also made 14 of 19 free throws in the second stanza.
Lamar shot an impressive 51.9 percent from the field in the first half to take a 36-30 lead into the locker room at halftime. However, the Cardinals managed just 35.7 percent aim in the second half.
Dawkins was 7 of 12 from the field, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and 3 of 4 from the free throw line scoring a career-high 22 points. He also had six assists, two rebounds and two steals. Barrow added 14 points on 5 of 11 shooting from the field, including 4 of 10 from 3-point range. Hopkins chipped in 12 points to give the Cardinals three double-figure scorers.
Lamar shot 43.6 percent (24-of-55) from the field, 37.9 percent (11-of-29) from 3-point range and 85.7 percent (12-of-14) from the free throw line for the game. The Cardinals defense forced 22 Wyoming turnovers which led 28 points.
Ewing led four players in double-figures with 18 points on 4 of 7 shooting from the field, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Taylor added 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds off the bench. Adam Waddell and Jones each added 12 points.
For the game, Wyoming shot 59.5 percent (25-of-42) from the field, 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from 3-point range and 79.2 percent (19-of-24) from the free throw line. The Cowboys outrebounded Lamar 29 to 24 and outscored the Cardinals 28 to 18 in points in the paint.
