Laramie, Wyo. • Sam Merrill had 22 points and tied his career high with eight rebounds, freshman Neemias Queta scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting, and Utah State beat Wyoming 71-55 Saturday.
The Aggies (12-5, 2-2 Mountain West Conference) won at Wyoming for the first time since Feb. 16, 1962, snapping a string of eight losses in Laramie.
Merrill made 8 of 14 from the field and Queta, who came in leading the conference in blocks per game (2.3) and has at least one in every game this season, blocked two shots.
Wyoming (4-13, 0-4) made five of its first eight shots during a 12-4 opening run and led until Diogo Brito hit a 3-pointer with to give the Aggies a 24-21 lead and they never again trailed. Merrill hit a 3-pointer just before halftime to make it 32-25 and a 9-0 run midway through the second half extended Utah State’s lead to 13 points. The Cowboys trimmed their deficit to 52-43 on a dunk by Jordan Naughton about 90 seconds later but Merrill answered with a 3 and Utah State led by double figures the rest of the way.
Justin James, a senior guard who came in as one of just five players in Division I averaging at least 20 points and 9.5 rebounds, scored 27 and grabbed 10 boards for Wyoming. The Cowboys have lost four in a row and seven of their last eight.
Utah State had lost in its last eight visits to Laramie. Wyoming leads the all-time series 51-28, with a 31-7 edge at home.