San Diego State vs. Wyoming

Arena-Auditorium – Laramie, Wyoming

Wednesday, January 14 – 5 PM

The Aztecs and Cowboys meet for what is expected to be an exceptional game between two double-digit-win teams.

For the final time in the Mountain West era for San Diego State basketball, the Aztecs will battle with the Cowboys in Laramie, known as one of the toughest environments in the conference. For the first time in quite some time, the Pokes contain a roster capable of beating anyone in the conference. Wyoming is 11-5 on the season (2-3 in MW play) with some impressive wins and even some impressive losses.

The Aztecs and Cowboys are meeting for the 95th time, with SDSU riding a 13-game win streak, holding a 53-41 advantage in the series, which includes a 14-23 mark at Arena-Auditorium and a 14-27 overall record on Wyoming’s home floor. Since the start of the 2009-10 season, SDSU leads the series 24-5, which includes an 8-4 mark in Laramie.

San Diego State is only a -1.5 betting favorite over Wyoming on some popular sportsbooks.

Brian Dutcher’s squad is playing its best basketball of the season at the right time. SDSU takes on New Mexico at home after this meeting, followed by another road game at Grand Canyon. Aztecs fans are well aware of how those games go against the Antelopes. This is a crucial stretch, to say the least.

SDSU is coming off a 19-point win over Fresno State over the weekend, and before that, took down a good Nevada team on the road by five points. The triple-overtime win over Boise State may have sparked a flame, as the Aztecs are trying to catch fire during Mountain West play.

How we extended our win streak to five games! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/8K7Kv7wxPS

— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) January 11, 2026

Magoon Gwath is coming off a monster performance against the Bulldogs. It seems his play elevates against Fresno State, as some of his bigger games have come against that program. Gwath ended with 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win. He added two blocks and a steal on the defensive end. More importantly, the 7-footer played 23 minutes, which was the most he had played in a game since the loss to Arizona in Phoenix for the Hall of Fame Series. Gwath has played below 20 minutes in six games this season and four of his last five.

It is good to see Gwath have a night like that. The Aztecs need him available to play key minutes, and it seems that he is finding his groove this season. Gwath has not missed a three-point shot in his last three games.

Another one from downtown 😮‍💨 @magoongwath #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/X3iYxMENte

— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) January 11, 2026

SDSU is averaging 82.5 points per game and allows 72.8 (a number that is improving). The Aztecs are 5-0 in conference play, aiming to get to 6-0. SDSU continues to have a poor NET rating (66) due to its loss to Troy in double overtime in November.

Getting to Know the Pokes

Wyoming started the season off on a high note. They began 4-0 until they had some close losses to Sam Houston and No. 20 Texas Tech. The Cowboys competed against one of the better teams in the country on the road. They responded with wins over Dartmouth, South Dakota, and South Dakota State.

Last week, Wyoming earned its 11th win of the season in a blowout over UNLV at home. They defeated the Rebels 98-66, proving how difficult it can be to be the road team in that arena. The Pokes are 9-1 at Arena-Auditorium. Wyoming is also 88th in NET rankings.

The Cowboys average 84.0 points per game and allow 72.7, proving to be very comparable to the Aztecs. Both teams also shoot 48% from the field. Wyoming averages 38 rebounds per game to SDSU’s 37.6, and both teams average 7.9 steals per contest.

The offense is led by two guards, Leland Walker and Nasir Meyer. Walker averaged 14.5 points per game on 47.4% shooting. Meyer is right behind him at 13.8 points on 51.7% shooting. Meyer also shoots 41.9% from beyond the arc. Walker is the best all-around player on the team this season. He adds 3.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. Khaden Bennett is also having a very good season for the Pokes. He averages 9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Walker, Meyer, and Bennett are the only three averaging at least 25 minutes per game, while everyone else is below 20.

Walker has scored 28 points twice this season (UNLV & Texas Tech). Outside of five games this season, Walker has scored at least 13 points in every one. The FAU transfer scored 14 points in the loss at Nevada.

Meyer has been on fire as of late. He scored 27 points against Nevada in the loss. In the wins over South Dakota and South Dakota State, he scored 26 and 25 points, respectively. His 27 against the Wolf Pack was a career high for the freshman.

According to the Wyoming media guide, “The Cowboys have been getting it done at the free throw line in conference play. Wyoming is shooting 78.5 percent from the line in conference play with 20.4 makes per game. That means that over a quarter of the Pokes points in the conference have came at the free throw line. Khaden Bennett, Leland Walker, and Naz Meyer are all shooting at least 84 percent from the line in conference play.”

Wyoming has the offense to light up their arena, but they are known for their strong defense this season. With Walker and Bennett averaging at least one steal per game, the team contains three others at least 0.8 or higher. If the Aztecs aren’t careful protecting the ball, they could be in for a lot of trouble. Silly mistakes will cost this team points as Wyoming excels at earning extra possessions.

Chris Spiering

Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and now covers San Diego State Men’s Basketball. He also contributes regularly about the Padres. Chris is an athlete and is a huge fan of San Diego sports.