Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Wyoming
Red Raiders Fall To Cowboys
December 14, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2002
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - It may have been an early season non-conference game, but it didn't feel like to Marcus Bailey.
Bailey scored 12 points and had eight rebounds, including a huge one near the end to help Wyoming hold off Texas Tech 67-62 on Saturday, knocking the Red Raiders from the unbeaten ranks.
It was about as intense a contest and as big a win for the Cowboys (6-2) as last season's 73-66 upset of then-No. 6 Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the 6-foot-5 senior said.
``It's right up there with Gonzaga. There's no doubt about it,'' Bailey said, adding that the Cowboys had plenty of pep despite playing their third game in six days and fourth in 10.
``I don't think it's hard to get up for Bob Knight and Texas Tech,'' he said. ``It felt kind of like an NCAA game out there.''
Cowboys coach Steve McClain agreed it was one of the biggest victories in his five seasons at Wyoming.
``To have a Big 12 team in Wyoming playing, there's no question it was a big win,'' he said.
McClain said a key was how the Cowboys' bench provided a spark late in the first half after Tech closed within 24-22, and especially how David Rottinghaus had eight points and three assists in 12 minutes.
``They (the Red Raiders) were getting a little tired and we had fresh legs out there,'' McClain said.
Texas Tech coach Bob Knight said Wyoming played from the beginning like he had hoped his team would.
``You have to be really impressed with how they got started and they maintained an intensity far more than we did through the course of the game,'' he said. ``It was a game they deserved to win. ... They got us standing around and I thought really set the tempo for the whole game.
``We got outplayed.''
Jay Straight led the Cowboys with 13 points and made a key 3-pointer with 5:55 left that halted a 7-0 Red Raiders run and put Wyoming up 54-46.
``I knew once I got the ball in my hand, I felt comfortable with it, and I felt comfortable with the shot, and fortunately it went in,'' he said.
Kasib Powell and Andre Emmett each had 20 points for Texas Tech (5-1).
Wyoming outshot Tech 48 percent to 44 percent and had the edge in rebounds 39-38.
The Cowboys led 61-48 on two free throws by Donta Richardson with 2:43 left, but the Raiders quickly closed within 63-58 after a furious 10-2 run that was capped by Emmett's layup with 41 seconds left.
Emmett and Powell each scored four points and Nick Valdez added a fast-break layup during the spurt.
But Richardson, who had 11 points, made 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch and harassed Nathan Doudney into a miss with 22 seconds left and Wyoming leading 64-58.
Bailey collected the rebound to set up Richardson's final two foul shots, which left the Cowboys up 66-58. A tip-in by Ronald Ross and layup by Powell sandwiched around a foul shot by Bailey in the final 10 seconds came too late for Tech.
Texas Tech trailed 48-33 after a short jumper by Wyoming's Joe Ries, but the Red Raiders drew within 51-46 on a 13-3 surge that saw Emmett score seven points, including three straight buckets.
Straight stemmed the tide with his 3-pointer followed by a free throw and moments later fed Bailey for an easy goal that made it 57-46.
Sparked by Bailey and Mory Correa, Wyoming stretched a 30-22 halftime lead to 42-29 with 13:48 remaining.
Bailey had a 3-pointer, three rebounds and a steal and set up Correa for one of his two dunks during the 12-7 run.
Correa's 8-foot jumper in the lane capped a 6-0 spurt at the end of the first half.
Tech's last lead was 14-12 after a steal and dunk by Emmett at the 10:15 mark of the opening half.
The Cowboys' Omoniyi Makun tied it at 14 with a jumper and Rottinghaus sank a 3-pointer to snap the tie.
