Wyoming Cowboys Stun No. 12 Air Force 78-75 in MWC Semis

LARAME, Wyo. (Day.News) — The University of Wyoming men's basketball team pulled off a stunning upset Friday night, defeating No. 12 Air Force 78-75 in the Mountain West Conference semifinals at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The Cowboys, seeded lower after a rollercoaster regular season, rallied from a six-point halftime deficit behind 22 points from guard Hunter Maldonado and 18 from forward Brendan Wenzel. Wyoming's defense clamped down in the final minutes, forcing three turnovers and holding Air Force to 39% shooting in the second half, as first reported by the Casper Star-Tribune.

The victory sends the Cowboys to Sunday's championship game against top-seeded New Mexico, with a potential NCAA Tournament bid on the line. Maldonado, a Laramie native in his fifth season, sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 4.2 seconds left after Air Force's Max Reed missed a desperation 3-pointer. Wyoming improves to 22-11 overall, their best record since 2019, while handing Air Force (25-8) its first conference tournament loss since 2022.

Cowboys coach Jeff Linder praised the team's resilience postgame, noting the electric support from Wyoming fans who traveled from Cheyenne, Casper and across the state. 'These kids fought for every possession in front of the best crowd in the MWC,' Linder said. The win evokes Wyoming's rich history of Air Force upsets, including a 67-62 MWC tournament triumph in 2007 after dropping both regular-season games. For Cowboy Nation, it's a shot at redemption after early-season struggles and a program-defining moment.