The Wyoming Cowboys basketball team captured a thrilling comeback victory against Tulane at the Cancun Challenge on Tuesday night, showcasing resilience and teamwork under the leadership of head coach Sundance Wicks, Cap City News reports.
Despite trailing by 16 points in the second half, the Cowboys rallied to win 64–63 at the Hard Rock Resort in Cancún, Mexico.
With just under 14 minutes left in the game, Tulane led 52–36 after two free throws by Kaleb Banks. Wyoming, however, refused to fold. The Cowboys clamped down on defense, limiting Tulane to just 25% shooting in the second half and allowing only 11 more points. The game culminated in a decisive play with less than 10 seconds remaining.
Jordan Nesbitt drove into the paint, drawing the defense before passing to Touko Tainamo, who sank a game-winning three-pointer from the corner with 9.7 seconds left.
“What happened is trust, trust, trust… We just kept the flow… and Touko Tainamo — man, he steps up,” Wicks said after the game.
Obi Agbim led Wyoming with 18 points and contributed two of the team’s four three-pointers. Cole Henry, returning as the starting center, added 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a block. Nesbitt and Tainamo, though coming off the bench, played pivotal roles in closing the game. Nesbitt tallied 10 points and an impressive 13 rebounds, while Tainamo finished with 13 points and five boards.
Backup point guard A.J. Wills also played a crucial role, stabilizing the team during Tulane’s press, which had caused trouble earlier in the game.
“He helped calm things down,” Wicks acknowledged.
The game turned midway through the second half after assistant coach Nic Reynolds suggested a strategic adjustment.
“Coach Reynolds gave me a good idea to start running our push action,” Wicks explained.
He credited the shift in momentum to getting Henry involved in the middle of the court.
Wyoming’s defense shined in the final minutes, forcing an air ball on Tulane’s last possession and outrebounding the Green Wave 44–34. All nine players in Wyoming’s rotation scored, and the Cowboys dominated with 30 bench points compared to Tulane’s zero.
Despite the win, Wicks noted two key areas for improvement: free-throw shooting and ball security. Wyoming shot 69.2% from the free-throw line (18-for-26) and turned the ball over 11 times, which led to 16 points for Tulane.
“Defend, rebound, and take care of the basketball,” Wicks emphasized.
With the victory, Wyoming improved to 5–1 and advanced to the championship game of the Cancun Challenge, where they will face Loyola Marymount on Wednesday. Wicks framed the victory as a significant “culture win,” highlighting the importance of resilience and teamwork.
The Cowboys’ next test will air at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on CBS Sports Network, as they seek to build on their success and continue their impressive start to the season.
