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Trying to get a handle on what we might see tonight, I turned to KenPom stats. There are some vast similarities as well as some stark differences between the two teams. But before putting too much stock in the numbers, remember Wyoming
is a member of the 9-team Mountain West which happens to rank 3rd among the 31 units in D-1. They trail only the Big 10 and Big East. In fact, 7 of the 9 are in post-season
play this year. By the way, the PL ranks 17th.
First, when it comes to rebounding the ball I was pleased to see we weren’t the only ones struggling this year. On the offensive board side, LU comes in at 27.0% (305th) and
Wyoming at 24.2% (341st) in terms of “the percentage of available rebounds you nab off your offensive glass.” Oddly enough, while differing greatly in 3-point accuracy
(LU @ 39.6% or 9th best with Wyoming @ 31.4% or 278th best), we each look to the “3” to build our score (% of total points scored). Here LU ranks 53rd @ 31.9% while Wyoming is
ranked 68th @ 31.3%. Perhaps the biggest difference (stat wise) would be in Tempo or number of possessions/game. LU ranks 125th @ 66.9 while Wyoming is 336th @ 60.7. I’ll be
anxious to wa.tch if we continue to push and pressure the ball or lay back to conserve energy being short-handed (BJ and, of course, CJ at home) and playing at altitude.
The big guns for Wyoming (off their website):
All-MW Third Team and All-Defensive Team member Leonard Washington continues to pace the Pokes at 12.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 steals, despite battling
back and ankle injuries over the last few weeks of the season. The senior forward ranks in the top 11 of the MW stats in all four categories. Senior guard Derrious Gilmore and sophomore forward Larry Nance Jr. both scored in double figures in UW’s two games at the MW tournament. Gilmore averages 12.0 points, 1.6 rebounds and a team-high
2.8 assists, including a career-high eight against Nevada in Las Vegas. Nance rounds out UW’s double-figure scorers at 10.1 points and 6.9 rebounds. He has nearly averaged a double-double in Wyoming’s five tournament games this season.
Freshman guard Josh Adams adds 6.6 points and 1.4 rebounds in addition to big plays at key moments, while sophomore guard Riley Grabau is UW’s other probable starter at 5.8 points and 2.5 assists.