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Las Vegas • When Stew Morrill looks back on his final game as Utah State's head coach, he will likely remember a 31/2-minute stretch that turned the Aggies' Mountain West quarterfinal in Wyoming's favor.
It made all the difference.
Josh Adams scored 19 points and Charles Hankerson Jr. added a career-high 16 to lead the Cowboys to a 67-65 victory over Utah State on Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The loss dropped the Aggies to 18-13 this season and sent Morrill into retirement, since he surprisingly announced at the postgame press conference that Utah State will not pursue a bid to the CollegeInsider Tournament or the College Basketball Invitational.
"Our season is over," Morrill said, who announced in January he was retiring after 17 seasons at Utah State. "… At this point, we just feel it's best for these kids to concentrate on academics — we've missed a ton of school — and get ready for a new coach."
Morrill admitted it was "weird" knowing a career that spanned four decades has ended.
"My son asked me if I would help coach his 8-year-old daughter," he said. "I told him I'd go to the games and cheer for her like hell. But I am not calling a timeout — not even at an 8-year-old's game."
For a time, it looked like Utah State — not Wyoming — would advance to Friday's semifinal round against top-seeded Boise State.
The Aggies built a 41-34 lead with 14:32 remaining after Chris Smith nailed a 3-point shot. But Wyoming ran the ball quickly up the floor and Hankerson converted a three-point play that stopped Utah State's momentum and ignited the pro-Cowboy crowd.
Eventually, Utah State gave up three more layups and a dunk on consecutive possessions. Its seven-point lead turned into a 46-41 deficit with 10:52 remaining.
"It was a good college basketball game," Morrill said. "The difference was that stretch in the second half when they just got too [many] good shots. … They were driving the ball and we couldn't get them stopped."
Sophomore forward Jalen Moore, who finished with 17 points, agreed.
"We were just giving them layups," he said. "On the other end, they were stopping us. I think that was the biggest turning point of the game."
Down by five, Utah State didn't quit. The Aggies tied the game at 51 when Moore scored with 6:15 remaining. But Wyoming countered on Riley Grabau's 3-pointer and baskets by Larry Nance Jr. and Adams. The 7-0 run gave the Cowboys a 58-51 lead with 4 minutes left, although Utah State made a final charge.
"… Our defense tightened up," Morrill said, "and we got back in the ballgame."
Wyoming owned a 66-59 lead with 28 seconds remaining before Darius Perkins and Moore hit 3-pointers.
The Aggies fouled Hankerson with 2.5 seconds left, and he missed both free throws. But Moore's heave from beyond half-court was long.
"I got the rebound and took a couple of dribbles to get a better look," Moore said. "I let it go. It was on target. It was just too far … and didn't fall."
Twitter: @sluhm —
Wyoming 67, Utah State 65
R Utah State coach Stew Morrill's career ends with a loss in the Mountain West Conference quarterfinals.
• Morrill says the Aggies, who finished 18-13, will not pursue a bid to a minor postseason tournament.
• Sophomore forward Jalen Moore scores 17 points to lead the Aggies. David Collette adds 11.