Wyoming's Sundance Wicks Leads Underdog Cowboys to Mountain West Tournament

Pokes look to pull off upsets in Las Vegas after steady regular season progress

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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With head coach Sundance Wicks' second year in Laramie approaching a close, Wyoming has made steady progress this season despite a massive roster overhaul. Finishing the regular season 18-13 and 14-4 at home, the Cowboys now head to the Mountain West Tournament as the 9-seed, ready to take on challenges like UNLV and potentially Utah State and other top contenders.

Why it matters

Wyoming's improvement this season under Wicks bodes well for the future, as the team was able to climb out of the bottom of the Mountain West standings and compete with the conference's best. Though they came up just short in a few close losses, the Cowboys now have a chance to prove themselves in the tournament and potentially pull off some upsets.

The details

Led by consistent scoring from Leland Walker and the breakout play of freshman Nasir Meyer, Wyoming has shown the ability to have different players step up on any given night. However, they will face a tough road in the tournament, opening against a hot UNLV team led by star guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, and potentially matching up with top seeds Utah State, Grand Canyon, and San Diego State or New Mexico if they advance.

  • Wyoming finished the regular season 18-13 overall and 14-4 at home.
  • The Cowboys will take on UNLV in the Mountain West Tournament on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 1 p.m. Mountain Time.

The players

Sundance Wicks

Head coach of the Wyoming Cowboys, in his second season leading the program.

Leland Walker

Leading scorer for Wyoming, averaging over 20 points per game in the second half of the season.

Nasir Meyer

Freshman forward for Wyoming who has provided a scoring spark off the bench, with several double-digit scoring outbursts.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

Star guard for UNLV, one of the best players in the Mountain West Conference.

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What they’re saying

“Why not us? Why not Wyoming?”

— Sundance Wicks, Head Coach (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

If Wyoming can upset UNLV in the opening round, they would face the No. 1 seed Utah State Aggies in the quarterfinals.

The takeaway

Wyoming's steady progress this season under Sundance Wicks has them primed for a potential Cinderella run in the Mountain West Tournament, as they look to pull off upsets and prove they can compete with the conference's elite teams.