Wyoming presents tough challenge for No. 11 Arizona Basketball

Opening Pac-12 play with a dominant win over Oregon State, No. 11 Arizona Basketball (7-0, 1-0) returns to action with a tough matchup against the Wyoming Cowboys (8-0, 0-0).

No. 11 Arizona Basketball is still undefeated as they enter another week of basketball action, with this weeks’ slate of games being some of their toughest yet.

Coming into this one, the Wildcats enter as the favorites over Wyoming and they should have the clear and definite advantage, however, this is an opponent the Cats cannot overlook as the Cowboys are well-coached, entering this one undefeated and playing well at 8-0 (0-0). t

Arizona has the talent, skill, and size to overpower Wyoming, and despite being considered the clear favorite, Arizona needs to remain focused if they are going to come away with the win, especially as a big showdown against Illinois awaits the Cats on Saturday in Champaign.

Hopefully, head coach Tommy Lloyd and the Cats can continue their strong play as they look to go 8-0 and pick up another marquee win in the young part of the season.

Getting to Know the details of Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the Wyoming Cowboys.

Team: Wyoming Cowboys

Conference: Mountain West Conference

2020-21 Record: Ending the year with a 14-11 (7-9) record last season, the Cowboys finished near the bottom in the talented Mountain West. They capped their season off with a hard-fought loss to then-No. 19 ranked San Diego State in their conference tournament quarterfinal.

Head Coach: Jeff Linder enters his 2nd year with the Cowboys after previously serving as head coach at Northern Colorado from 2016-20, compiling an 80-50 record with the Bears, he is currently 22-11 at Wyoming and sports a 102-61 record overall.

Keys to the Game:

Start Fast – An area where the Wildcats have excelled so far is in creating distance from the beginning and playing to the speed they want. Arizona needs to come out and play at the pace they are accustomed to and force Wyoming to keep up.

The Cowboys will want to slow things down a bit to control the tempo and speed of the game. However, Arizona can’t let them get comfortable and keep it close.

Use the strengths to our advantage, start the game fast, and climb out to a sizable lead before you can hopefully cruise.

Defend the Perimeter – This is one of the better shooting teams that the Wildcats will have to face so far, as the Cowboys currently rank No. 44 in the country, shooting a combined 38.0 percent from beyond the arc. They also rank 85th in the nation with 25 attempts per game.

The Wildcats are likely going to be spaced out here defensively, and their focus should be defending the perimeter to eliminate those attempts, and hopefully, make it a long day for the Cowboys.

Don’t Look Ahead – All eyes are going to be on the Wildcats as there are fewer and fewer unbeaten teams remaining in college basketball, and the target on the Wildcats’ back is going to be sizable as they take on undefeated Wyoming, followed by a skilled and talented Illinois team.

However, the Cats can’t get caught looking ahead, or they could be in danger of losing to a talented Wyoming team. Arizona should have the advantage here, so the Cats need to stay focused and hungry if they are going to come away with the win before the take on Illinois this weekend.

Arizona Basketball versus Wyoming Cowboys game information and details:

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021

Time: 8:00 P.M. MST / 7:00 P.M. PST

Location: McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz. (14,545)

Spread: -15.0 Arizona (Also, don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your overall betting experience)

Television: Pac-12 Network

Radio: 107.5 FM (Tucson) / 1290AM (Tucson) | Arizona IMG Sports Network

Team Records:

No. 11 Arizona Wildcats (7-0, 1-0): Still rolling following another win, Arizona looks to remain perfect as they return to action against a tougher opponent with undefeated Wyoming coming to town.

Wyoming Cowboys (8-0, 0-0): Off to a terrific start in 2021-22, the Wyoming Cowboys will have their toughest challenge yet as they look to upset No. 11 in Tucson.

Head-to-Head Record (since 1949-50): Since 1949-50, Arizona leads this series as they own a 20-15 advantage, winning eight of the last 10 matchups including the last three straight.

Last Meeting vs. Arizona: The Wildcats last played Wyoming in 2004, coming away with the 98-70 victory in Tucson. Salim Stoudamire and Jawann McClellan led all scorers with 19 points each.

My Prediction: Arizona 88 Wyoming 66 – After dominating Oregon State in Corvallis, Arizona should have a tougher challenge on their hand against Wyoming, however, I see the Wildcats’ size and athleticism being a bit too much for the Cowboys as they come away with the win.