After an extended road stretch, Wyoming aims to rediscover its winning form on home court.
The Wyoming Cowboys men’s basketball team is set to return to the familiar confines of Arena-Auditorium on Thursday night as they host Bellarmine in their second-to-last nonconference matchup of the season. The Cowboys, currently 5-5 overall and 0-1 in Mountain West Conference play, will look to end a four-game losing streak after a challenging road trip.
The last month has seen the Cowboys play five consecutive games away from home, a stretch that head coach Sundance Wicks described as a necessary challenge for his team’s development.
“It’s like we’ve been on a world tour,” Wicks said. “It was a grueling stretch, it was a necessary stretch. You have to get your guys calloused and ready for everything. … You don’t want to spend five games on the road, but you need to do that.”
Despite the rough patch, Wicks sees signs of growth. The Cowboys held what Wicks called one of their “most mature practices” on Wednesday, signaling that the team may be turning a corner as they prepare for Bellarmine (3-8 overall).
Wyoming will need to be prepared for a distinct offensive style from Bellarmine. The Knights utilize a hybrid Princeton offense, marked by constant motion, cutting, and screening. Half of Bellarmine’s shots come from beyond the three-point line, where they shoot a respectable 37.5%.
“They’ll be the best shooting team, one of the best screening and cutting teams that we’ve played up until this point,” Wicks noted.
He added that defending Bellarmine will require a disciplined approach to limit their three-point attempts while maintaining physicality on the boards.
One statistic could be key for Wyoming: Bellarmine has not won a game this season when its opponent attempts at least 17 free throws. Wicks emphasized the importance of getting to the free-throw line, taking care of the ball, and controlling the rebounding battle to give the Cowboys an edge.
For Wyoming, senior point guard Obi Agbim continues to be the team’s leader on the floor. He scored a team-high 21 points in Wyoming’s most recent loss to BYU, and he’s averaging 18.3 points and 3.7 assists per game while shooting an impressive 52% from the field and 46% from three-point range.
Wyoming also recently welcomed back junior forward Matija Belic, a 6-foot-7 transfer from UC Santa Barbara, who returned from a torn labrum that sidelined him for the first nine games of the season. Belic made his Cowboys debut against BYU, contributing four points, two rebounds, and two assists in 19 minutes of play. His return is expected to impact Wyoming’s identity and rotation moving forward.
“I love it because we’re brand new,” Wicks said of Belic’s return. “When someone comes back from injury that’s an integral part of your team, you’re reestablishing your identity. … We have a chance to still have our best basketball later on.”
Bellarmine’s offense is led by junior guard Billy Smith, who is coming off a career-high 33-point performance against Ball State. Smith is shooting 51% from the field and 41.8% from beyond the arc, giving Wyoming another perimeter threat to defend.
Arena-Auditorium, also known as the “Dome of Doom,” sits at an elevation of 7,220 feet, making it the highest-altitude home court in NCAA Division I basketball. Wyoming is 4-0 at home this season, and the return to Laramie could provide a welcome boost after a difficult road trip.
After facing Bellarmine, the Cowboys will have one final nonconference game before resuming Mountain West play. The Dec. 28 conference slate looms large as Wyoming aims to fine-tune its play and build chemistry with Belic back in the fold.
Game Information
- Matchup: Bellarmine Knights (3-8) vs. Wyoming Cowboys (5-5, 0-1 MWC)
- When: Thursday, 8:30 p.m. EST
- Where: Arena-Auditorium, Laramie, Wyoming
- Watch: Live on the Mountain West Network
The Washington Post, Bellarmine University Athletics, and Casper Star-Tribune contributed to this report.
