Wyoming reaches CBI finals with 74-68 win over Utah Valley

Mar 23, 2017, 03:55 am

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- 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.