SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Interstat) — Nasir Meyer scored 25 points to lead Wyoming to an 87-72 victory over South Dakota State in a nonconference men’s basketball game Monday night at Sanford Pentagon. The Cowboys built a commanding 40-29 halftime lead and maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the second half before a crowd of 1,477. Meyer, a 6-foot-7 sophomore from Los Angeles, added five rebounds in 31 minutes. Leland Walker added 13 points and five assists for Wyoming, which improved to 9-2. Kalen Garry led South Dakota State with 15 points. The Jackrabbits, who shot 38% from the field, fell to 7-6. Damon Wilkinson added 12 points for the home team. Wyoming shot 48% overall and made 10 three-pointers in the contest.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Interstat) — Nasir Meyer scored 25 points and Wyoming used a dominant first-half defensive performance to build a substantial lead and never look back, defeating South Dakota State 87-72 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Monday night at the Sanford Pentagon. The Cowboys, improving to 9-2, held the host Jackrabbits to just 29 points in the opening period, establishing a 40-29 halftime advantage that provided a cushion South Dakota State could never seriously threaten. Wyoming then maintained its offensive efficiency after the break, scoring 47 second-half points to secure the 15-point victory before a crowd of 1,477. The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the first half, where Wyoming’s defensive pressure and timely scoring created a decisive separation. After a relatively even start, the Cowboys embarked on a 15-3 run midway through the period to turn a narrow 12-10 edge into a commanding 27-13 lead. The surge was fueled by defensive stops and a balanced attack, with contributions from Leland Walker, Khaden Bennett and Damarion Dennis. South Dakota State struggled to find any offensive rhythm, committing turnovers and shooting poorly from the field. Wyoming’s lead ballooned to as many as 18 points before settling at an 11-point margin at the intermission, a gap built largely on the Jackrabbits’ inability to generate consistent scoring against the Cowboys’ active defense. Meyer, a 6-foot-7 sophomore from Los Angeles, was the catalyst throughout, adding five rebounds in 31 minutes. His scoring, particularly from inside the arc, helped Wyoming answer any modest South Dakota State push. He was supported by a trio of double-figure scorers. Walker, a guard from Indianapolis, chipped in 13 points and five assists, while Bennett from Mansfield, Texas, added 11 points. Forward Matija Belic of Belgrade, Serbia, provided a strong interior presence with 10 points and a block. South Dakota State, which fell to 7-6, was led by Kalen Garry’s 15 points. Damon Wilkinson, a 6-foot-10 forward from De Smet, South Dakota, scored 12 points, and backcourt mates Jaden Jackson and Joe Sayler each added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Sayler also dished out four assists. The Jackrabbits showed more life after halftime, scoring 43 points, but could never cut the deficit to single digits as Wyoming consistently responded with scores to stifle any momentum. The game’s outcome defied the pregame statistical projection from National Statistical’s ELO system, which gave South Dakota State a 52.6% probability to win. Wyoming entered as a 4.5-point favorite and covered that spread with ease. The total points scored, 159, surpassed the over/under line of 151. Wyoming, which has won three straight since a two-point loss to Texas Tech on Nov. 30, will look to continue its momentum when it hosts Grand Canyon on Saturday. South Dakota State, which had its two-game winning streak snapped, travels to face Milwaukee on Friday.

Preview: Wyoming Cowboys at South Dakota State Jackrabbits SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Interstat) — The surging Wyoming Cowboys look to continue their strong start when they face the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in a nonconference men’s basketball game Monday at the Sanford Pentagon. Wyoming (8-2) enters on a two-game winning streak, including a 106-79 rout of South Dakota on Dec. 9 where the Cowboys shot 58% from the field. The Cowboys’ only losses are narrow road defeats at Texas Tech (76-72) and Sam Houston (78-70). A key catalyst is guard Nasir Meyer, who is coming off a career-high 26 points in the win over South Dakota. Over his last four games, Meyer is averaging 15.5 points while shooting 54% from the field, providing efficient scoring alongside leading scorer Damarion Dennis (21 points vs. South Dakota). South Dakota State (7-5) has won three of its last four, most recently a 94-62 victory over NAIA opponent Dakota Wesleyan on Friday. The Jackrabbits’ schedule has been challenging, with losses to Power Five opponent Oregon and a competitive 68-64 road win at Ball State on Dec. 9. Guard Joe Sayler is the engine for the Jackrabbits, averaging 12.3 points and a team-high 4.2 assists per game. He is versatile, coming off a 16-point, 7-assist performance against Dakota Wesleyan and a 20-point outing in a win at Northern Arizona on Dec. 3. The game represents a contrast in styles and momentum. Wyoming boasts one of the nation’s more potent offenses, averaging 86.7 points per game and scoring over 100 points three times this season. South Dakota State averages 75.8 points but has shown defensive grit, holding opponents to 62 points or fewer in three of its seven wins. This is a final tune-up before both teams break for the holidays. Wyoming begins Mountain West Conference play at Air Force on Dec. 30. South Dakota State opens Summit League action at home against Omaha on Jan. 1. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CST Monday at the Sanford Pentagon.