Tuck’s Take: Winter is Here. Did Wyoming ‘Chop Enough Wood?’

LARAMIE -- There's a method to Sundance Wicks' madness.

That also can come with admitted consequences.

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No one would describe Wyoming's non-conference schedule as a buzz saw. Aside from the outlier, a road tilt with No. 20 Texas Tech, the Cowboys breezed through that slate with a 9-2 record, just three victories short of last season's win total.

Only two other opponents currently have a winning record, South Dakota and Sam Houston State.

The other preseason loss came on the latter's home floor.

That lineup of odd balls, including Austin Peay, Norfolk State, Dartmouth, and others -- the 316th-ranked (out of 361 teams) strength of schedule in Division-I basketball, according to KenPom -- was assembled very much on purpose. When you add 12 new faces to the roster, Wyoming's eccentric head coach said, gelling and racking up wins was important early on.

The chickens, as they say, came home to roost in the Mountain West opener nine days ago in Laramie.

They were warned.

"These kids nowadays don't believe that old man when they tell them what's coming," Wicks said after the Cowboys fell 82-70 to league newcomer Grand Canyon. "It's like, you better get ready for the winter. It's a long winter. You better cook, chop your wood and get it stored up. You better get ready for that, because you don't want to be sitting there trying to chop wood in six feet of snow.

"... Winter's coming."

It's here.

Wicks didn't shy away from the question, either. Yes, he knew there was risk involved, building this early résumé on the backs of wins at 7220 against lesser talent.

"Absolutely, but, strategically, I wanted to have early success for our guys to understand how to win at home and to have some early success," he added. "I think that's important if you're developing a program. You want to get them to understand the importance of how to win, beating teams and, you know, stretching margins and all that stuff like that."

There's another obvious reason the Cowboys "haven't played anybody" -- no one will come here.

Wicks said that will change next season, saying a trip to Chapel Hill to face North Carolina is on the docket.

Wyoming gave up an early 16-0 run against the Lopes, a program that features the 11th-oldest lineup in the NCAA, falling into a 20-5 hole it couldn't climb out of. Connecting on just 3-of-26 attempts from behind the arc certainly didn't help matters. Neither did a 57% shooting night from the visitors, led by a 20-point outburst from sixth-man Makaih Williams.

As if the Cowboys needed some extra salt in the wound, Williams was once upon a time at Jeff Linder commit. He asked out of his National Letter of Intent in 2023 when three fellow California products -- Max Agbonkpolo, Jake Kyman and Ethan Anderson -- abruptly left the team.

Point guard Leland Walker called this outing a "wake-up call."

Abou Magassa, one of two regulars to return from last year's roster, agreed, adding the practice the day prior wasn't up to snuff. Wicks' emphatically concurred.

"For a lot of people, it's the first time playing in this league," the 6-foot-10 forward said. "So, I think it got us ready. We know what our strengths are and, I think, tonight, it's a good thing."

A good thing?

"We were probably thinking we were all that," Walker admitted, referring to that mark in non-league games. "I'm mad, but I'm glad something like this happened so our players can have a level head on this break."

If there's a silver lining to this learning experience, Wyoming did outscore the Lopes 44-37 over the final 20 minutes. Guard Khaden Bennett, who was held scoreless in the first half, netted seven in the second. Magassa did, too. Freshman Naz Meyer poured in eight, finishing with a dozen. Walker led the Cowboys with 13 on the night.

Did that breed confidence?

"I can't wait for the next team," Magassa said.

That next team is Front Range rival Air Force. Wyoming will head down Interstate-25 to face the Falcons Tuesday inside Clune Arena. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. Joe Scott's squad is 3-9 and coming off a 23-point road loss at San Diego State.

The visitors trailed by just three at the break.

It doesn't matter what the records are, Wicks added. After that tilt at Colorado Springs, road trips to Albuquerque and Reno sandwich a home game against UNLV.

"This is every night. You've got to show up," he said. "I don't care if we play Air Force, Utah State, New Mexico, Boise State, it doesn't matter. You have got to show up every night."

Admittedly, Wicks said he had no interest in getting his "ass beat" in the non-conference season before entering this 20-game gauntlet in the final year of the current Mountain West.

"Experience is life's best teacher," Wicks continued.

He's lived it. His team is about to.

Winter is indeed here.

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players