Wyoming reaches CBI finals with 74-68 win over Utah Valley (Mar 22, 2017)

By AP
Published

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) Justin James scored 16 points and Wyoming scored the last six points of the game to defeat Utah Valley 74-68 on Wednesday night in the semifinals of the College Basketball Invitational.

The Cowboys (21-14) play Coastal Carolina in the three-game CBI championship series with the first game on the road Monday and the second back in Laramie on Wednesday.

The Wolverines (17-18) took their only lead, 67-66, on two Isaac Neilson free throws with 3:20 to play. James put Wyoming back on top with two free throws at 2:30 and after Utah Valley hit a free throw to tie it, James started the closing run with a free throw at 2:03. The next points came from a Jason McManamen layup with 43 seconds to go.

Utah Valley missed its last six shots in the final five minutes after making three straight 3s to help erase a 10-point Wyoming lead.

McManamen had 12 points to reach 1,000 for his career.

Neilson and Zach Nelson had 15 each for the Wolverines.