How Wyoming Improbably Erased 11-Point Deficit in One Minute to Beat Colorado State

It marked Wyoming’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2017.

When Colorado State guard Nique Clifford made a jumper with 1:11 left to play in the second half of Saturday’s Mountain West tilt with Wyoming, it appeared that the Rams were in position to cruise to their fourth win in conference play.

The jump shot put the Rams up 64–53 on the road, and put the Cowboys in a precarious position down the stretch. But little did Colorado State know that Clifford’s basket with just over a minute to go would be the final field goal the team would make in regulation.

Turnovers, missed free throws and lapses defensively gave the Cowboys one last chance, trailing 65–63 with 1.8 seconds to go. Forward Mason Walters flew to the basket off an inbounds pass and made a contested layup as time expired to send the game to overtime. 

The crowd inside the Arena-Auditorium erupted.

OT it is.

Mason Walters with the buzzer-beater at the end of regulation to tie it 65-65. pic.twitter.com/yKQb1LqCqU

— Alex Taylor (@alex_m_taylor22) January 27, 2024

The Cowboys outscored the Rams 14–11 in the extra period, highlighted by guard Akuel Kot’s four-point play with 27.5 seconds to go to lead Wyoming to an improbable victory over 24th-ranked Colorado State, 79–76.

FINAL: Wyoming 79, (No. 24) Colorado State 76.

I don’t even believe what I just saw. pic.twitter.com/uGbbU4pbKx

— Alex Taylor (@alex_m_taylor22) January 27, 2024

“Well, I’m not sure what to say,” Linder said after the game. “Speechless, I’m not sure what happened. Looking up in the stands when you’re down 11 with 1:11 left, which I can’t blame the people for starting to turn and leave. Obviously, they missed probably the most special endings in the Border War rivalry.”

The win marked Wyoming’s first over a ranked opponent since knocking off No. 23 Nevada in a double-overtime game in 2017.