FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Travis Franklin watched as his scoring numbers diminished. The Colorado State junior needed only to look at his free-throw shooting to decipher the problem.
He was 11 for 36 in his previous five games, in which he scored only 48 points.
“I was in a free throw slump, I wasn’t being aggressive shooting them,” Franklin said. “So, I worked on them, shooting a lot of them the last couple of games.”
The result: Franklin scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half as Colorado State completed a sweep of undermanned Wyoming with an 80-64 victory on Saturday night.
“I felt like my old self,” Franklin said. “When they fouled me tonight, I felt more comfortable going to the rim and the line.”
Franklin was 4 for 8 from the floor and 12 of 19 from the free-throw line. Andy Ogide added 13 points and 11 rebounds for Colorado State (14-9, 5-4 Mountain West), which has won three of its last four.
“You get out of rhythm and get stuck in a rut, and it makes it difficult,” Colorado State coach Tim Miles said. “As soon as he got into a little rhythm at the free throw line, I thought we were in good shape.”
Dorian Green and Andre McFarland had 11 points each for the Rams, who last swept a regular season series from the Cowboys in 1999-2000.
Adam Waddell and Desmar Jackson had 16 points apiece for Wyoming (9-14, 2-7), which has lost all seven of its road games this season.
“I think in the first half, they made some tough shots,” Wyoming coach Heath Schroyer said. “We won the second half. We obviously didn’t win the game.”
The Cowboys dressed only 10 players, nine of them on scholarship.
“They showed a lot of grit and a lot of character,” Schroyer said. “There were a lot of guys out there that this is their first go-around, and they will have their day.”
Green made a short jumper that put Colorado State ahead 48-26. But the Cowboys’ pressure defense forced four turnovers, and Jackson’s two free throws got them within 51-38 with 13:10 remaining. Jackson’s dunk off a steal capped a 7-1 that got Wyoming even closer, 57-47.
“We have a lot of people out, and we’re all a little beat up,” said Jackson, who fouled out with 6:21 left. “I know I have to step up.”
The Rams started looking to Franklin, whose driving layup and free throw with 5:49 to play made it 68-50. Another basket by Franklin gave Colorado State a 75-58 cushion, and Wyoming never got closer than 16 points over the final 2:24.
Colorado State hit 8 of 9 3-pointers in the first half, with three by McFarland, to take a 43-26 lead into the break. The Rams pulled ahead 25-16 with 9:08 left as McFarland and Green combined for four 3-pointers over a three-minute stretch.
“I’m trying to get back into the rotation,” said McFarland, a reserve who started 62 games his first two seasons, but only three contests this year. “I’m told when I get into the game and I have the shot to let it ride.”
The Cowboys got within 27-18 after a hook shot by Boubacar Sylla, but were outscored 16-8 over the final 7:33 of the half.
“Andre was a huge horse for us and helped separate us from them in the first half,” Miles said. “That was the critical part of the game.”
