‘He Was Awesome': Uriyah Rojas Busts Out of Slump in 92-82 Win

LARAMIE -- Sundance Wicks said Uriyah Rojas has been "going through it a little bit" of late.

That's an understatement.

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The junior guard has struggled mightily on the offensive end of the floor, failing to drain more than a single shot from the field in eight of the previous nine outings, heading into Tuesday night's home date with Fresno State.

That included seven straight misses, five of which came from beyond the arc.

"I've been on his butt. I stay on their butts," Wicks said. "I don't let them rest when they're playing bad. I want them to double down on their work and do more.

"He keeps showing up."

Just ask the Bulldogs.

Rojas sank his first attempt of the night. That was a three, breaking a 13-13 tie with 12:13 remaining in the first half. He connected on another one less than six minutes later, knotting the game at 28-all. His third and final stroke from deep came near the mid-way point of the second half, extending the Cowboys' lead to eight.

The 6-foot-3 Chaffey College transfer went 4-for-6 from the field and capped his night with 11 points. He also hauled in three rebounds and dished out the same number of helpers. Rojas didn't turn the ball over once in 26 minutes of work.

Arguably his most-impressive stat was his plus/ minus production. That was a 14, the highest mark on the roster.

"He played within himself today," Wicks said, following that much-needed 92-82 win over Fresno State. "That's all I tell guys, 'You don't have to hit home runs. Singles win, doubles win, walks get you on base. That's all that matters. Get runners in scoring position."

Naz Meyer looked like his former self against the Bulldogs, pouring in a game-high 22 points. The freshman has been emerging from a slump that Wicks said was a direct result of a concussion, followed by the flu and strep throat, which caused the Los Angeles product to lose 17 pounds from his frame.

Khaden Bennett and Damarion Dennis both netted 17 Tuesday night, helping the Cowboys snap a three-game losing skid. It's the fifth straight game these two have reached double figures on the scoresheet.

Leland Walker again accomplished that feat. Wyoming's leading scorer has failed to finish with at least 10 points only six times this season.

Wicks hands out an in-house award to one player after each win. It's a small buffalo statue, symbolizing a willingness to "walk into the storm."

There were seemingly many options for a deserving recipient after this impressive offensive outing. Wicks didn't hesitate to hand that hardware to Rojas.

"He showed up when we needed him most," he added. "He was awesome today."