(Editor's note: UW Athletics release)
LARAMIE, Wyo. - The No. 12-seeded Wyoming Cowboys have their first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2002.
The Pokes will battle fellow No. 12-seeded Indiana in the First Four on Tuesday inside UD Arena. The game is set for 7:10 pm. MT start and will be broadcast on TruTV.
Fans can listen to the contest, as well as follow stats on GoWyo.com. The game will be broadcast live on radio over the 26 affiliate stations of the Cowboy Sports Network, as Reece Monaco will have the call with Kevin McKinney on color.
The Cowboys, as the No. 4 seed, advanced to the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference tournament, falling to regular-season and tournament champion, Boise State. Wyoming averages 73 points per game, on 45.8 percent shooting, and allows foes to score 65.5 points per contest on 41.1 percent accuracy. The Cowboys hit 34.3 percent of their shots from 3-point land and only allow foes to make 30.5 percent of their shots from deep.
Indiana finished in the middle of the pack of a competitive Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers, as a No. 9 seed, won a pair of games at the conference tournament to receive their first NCAA tournament bid since 2016. They average 71.5 points per game, on 45.9 percent shooting, and allow foes to score 65.9 points per contest on 39.1 percent accuracy. Indiana hits 33.9 percent of shots from 3-point land, while it allows opponents to connect on 32.6 percent of their shots from deep.
Wyoming is led in scoring by Graham Ike who pours in 19.6 points per game while also collecting 9.6 rebounds per contest. He’s one of only four players in the nation averaging at least 19 points and nine rebounds per game. Hunter Maldonado isn’t far behind Ike, averaging 18.4 points per game. He adds 5.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per contest. He’s the only player in the country averaging at least 18 points, five rebounds and six assists per game. Drake Jeffries scores 10.5 points per game, while Jeremiah Oden and Xavier DuSell record 7.9 and 7.8 points per contest, respectively.
The Hoosiers are led by Trayce Jackson-Davis. He pours in 18.1 points per game while also corralling a team-best 8.2 rebounds per contest. Davis adds a team-high 2.4 blocks per game, as well. Xavier Johnson scores 12.3 points per game and leads the squad with five assists per contest. Race Thompson is the other player averaging in double figures in points, chipping in 11.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Indiana leads the all-time series, 3-0, with the first game played between the two ocurring in 1951. The most recent matchup happened in 1999 where the Hoosiers won 99-80 in Bloomington.
If Wyoming wins, the Cowboys would advance to play No. 5-seeded St. Mary’s on Thursday in Portland, Oregon.
