October 26, 2023 — Wyo4News Staff/Press Release
It’s just an exhibition game, but the new-look Wyoming Cowboys basketball team will debut Friday night in Laramie by hosting the Metro State Roadrunners in an exhibition game at the Arena-Auditorium. The game will be broadcast on WyoRadio’s 99.7 JACK-FM and 99KSIT.com at 6 p.m. with tip-off at 6:30. Friday will be the Poke’s only exhibition game this season. The team will open the regular season on November 7 at home against Northern New Mexico.
The Cowboys welcome back just four players from last season’s 9-22 team. The 11 new team members include five transfers and six freshmen. Only one starter returns, guard Brendan Wenzel, who averaged just under eight points per game last season. Returning guar Kenny Foster will miss the season due to injury.
Newcomers include guard Akuel Kot, who spent four seasons at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, earning First Team All-American honors from the NABC. He averaged 23.4 points per game last season to rank fourth in NCAA II. Another new Cowboy is guard Sam Griffin. Last season at Tulsa, Grifin averaged 15.2 points per game and 2.7 rebounds. He has nearly 1,500 career points and has hit 244 career three-pointers.
After finishing last in the Mountain West last season (4-14), the Pokes were picked to finish 10th in the Mountain West Preseason Poll, topping only Air Force.
The Roadrunners are in their second season under head coach Dan Ficke. Metro State was 12-17 overall last season. Nine players return from last year’s team.
Cowboys Football at Bosie State
After a bye week, the Wyoming Cowboys football team returns to action with a trip to Boise State. The Satuday game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. The contest is a crucial game in the Mountain West, as both teams are 2-1 in conference play, with the Cowboys entering the game 5-2 overall and the Broncos 3-4 so far on the season.
The game will be broadcast on WyoRadio’s 99.7 JACK-FM and 99KSIT.com at 2 p.m.
Through the first seven games of the 2023 season, the Wyoming Cowboys are off to one of their best starts under head coach Craig Bohl. But UW will look for its first road win of the year. Wyoming lost at Texas, 31-10, and at Air Force, 34-27. Both of those teams are currently in the national rankings.
Boise State lost 31-30 at Colorado State in their last contest. The Broncos are 3-1 this season in home games.
