The University of Wyoming men’s basketball team suffered a 68-57 loss to UNLV on Saturday at the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie.
The defeat marked the Cowboys’ fourth loss in five games and dropped them to 4-9 in Mountain West play.
The Cowboys’ shooting woes were evident throughout the contest, as they went just 4-of-21 (19%) from beyond the arc, their lowest mark this season. Head coach Sundance Wicks expressed his disappointment, emphasizing the importance of attitude and effort.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to two things: attitude and effort,” Wicks said. “We had a very lackluster attitude and an uninspired effort. That’s not good enough to beat a team that was desperate for a win.”
Wyoming’s offense struggled to find rhythm early. Despite a few scoring bursts from Obi Agbim and Cole Henry, the Cowboys trailed 30-23 at halftime after shooting just 32% from the field. UNLV capitalized on turnovers and key matchups, maintaining their lead throughout the second half.
Agbim led the Cowboys with 14 points in his return from a concussion, while Henry added 10 points and tied a career-high with six assists. Abou Magassa contributed nine points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting performance. Wyoming was held to 42.4% shooting overall and managed just 10 offensive rebounds, converting them into only four second-chance points.
UNLV (16-10, 5-7 Mountain West) was led by Dedan Thomas Jr., who scored 18 points. Jaden Henley added 13 points, and Julian Rishwain chipped in 11. The Rebels shot 46% from the field and held a narrow 34-32 rebounding advantage.
Wicks didn’t mince words in addressing the team’s performance and the need for a cultural shift.
“If one guy does it, it doesn’t mean enough. If two guys do it, it doesn’t mean enough. There needs to be a collective, unified front of guys who put their heels in the ground and say, ‘We’re going to fight until the very end,’” Wicks said.
Forward Cole Henry echoed Wicks’ concerns, emphasizing the need for a consistent and positive attitude across the team.
“Some days, we’re connected and playing as brothers. Other times, it feels like we’re just doing it for ourselves,” Henry said. “We need to find consistency before March, or this will be another season people forget about.”
The Cowboys, now 11-13 overall, face a critical stretch as they seek to build momentum before the conference tournament in March. Wicks remains hopeful that the team can rally together and respond positively to the adversity they are facing.
The Cowboys will travel to face New Mexico on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in a game broadcast on FS1.
With input from Wyoming Tribune Eagle and WyoToday Media.
