LAS VEGAS, Nev., -- 8,025 days.

That's how long it's been since Wyoming won a regular season game against UNLV inside the Thomas and Mack Center. Uche Nsonwu-Amadi, Jay Straight and Donta Richardson helped dispatch the Rebels that February night back in 2003.

That's 18 straight road losses in the series.

That's now a thing of the past.

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Obi Agbim led all scorers with 19 points and Jordan Nesbitt chipped in with his seventh double-double -- 13 points, 12 rebounds -- of the season as the Cowboys hung on late to top the red-hot Rebels 63-61 Tuesday night in Sin City.

Wyoming drilled 14 triples, including five off the right hand of Agbim, to pull off the stunner. Nine came in the final frame. UNLV was coming off upset victories over No. 22 Utah State and San Diego State.

"We just didn't come out with the same kind of punch and the same fight as Wyoming did," Rebel head coach Kevin Kruger said postgame. "More times than not, in this league, the team that plays harder for 40 minutes is going to end up winning and that's what happened tonight."

Three days.

That's how long it's been since this very same squad was embarrassed at home by its most-hated rival. Colorado State made light work of Sundance Wicks' boys in the first edition of the Border War, causing the first year head coach to openly question physicality and toughness.

They got the message.

Never was that more evident than during a three-possession sequence late in the second half that helped the visitors pull away. Nesbitt, who came off the bench in this one, jacked a three. Agbim did, too, answering a Jailen Bedford make from deep.

Heart and effort took over from there.

Nesbitt pulled down an offensive rebound off a Matija Belic miss. After Jeremiah Cherry rejected the attempted putback, Nesbitt again corralled the loose ball before pitching it to the perimeter to a wide-open Agbim. Again, he missed. Again, Wyoming regained possession.

Kobe Newton would get the next open look from beyond the arc. He also failed to connect. Belic tracked down the board and again found Agbim all alone.

Splash.

In a span of 1:59, the Cowboys snagged four offensive rebounds, drilled a trio of triples and built a nine-point lead.

"Those demoralize you," Wicks said postgame. "Every time we show clip-tape of another team, it's like, we try to show things that show you heart or grit or something that kind of symbolizes who they are. We want more of those."

Wyoming (10-9, 3-5) snapped a three-game skid and moved a game over .500 with the win. This team has also now set itself up for a potential run with San Jose State and Fresno State on tap.

Who would've thought that after last Saturday's debacle? Not to mention the 41-point road loss at Boise State and the 14-point halftime lead against New Mexico that quickly evaporated in Laramie.

Wicks has been in dire need of "culture guys."

Agbim is one. So is Cole Henry, who Wicks lovingly refers to as "Jake Taylor" from the Major League movies. Oleg Kojenets netted four points and reeled in the same number of rebounds. The 7-foot junior earned the start in Las Vegas. It was arguably his best performance in a Wyoming uniform.

Touko Tainamo didn't leave the bench in this one. Neither did Scottie Ebube. Nesbitt didn't enter the game until the 15:08 mark.

He responded in a big way, too.

Wicks said today is Nesbitt's mother's Heavenly birthday. He followed that up, saying "Don't tell me God isn't real."

The senior guard from St. Louis finished with a plus-six in 31 minutes of action. He dished out a season-high six assists. Four of his rebounds came on the offensive glass. He drained three triples and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw stripe.

Think that guy is afraid of a challenge?

"She was here, helping J-Nez tonight play one of his best games," Wicks added, referring to his mother, who died when Nesbitt was in eighth grade.

While most of the analytics didn't favor the Cowboys in Sin City -- 16 turnovers, 20-point differential in the paint and doubled up in second-chance makes --  the "manalytics" came through loud and clear.

"Always open Oleg" was a pest. Nesbitt was everywhere. Agbim, despite seeing double teams throughout, still managed to fill the nets. Henry, who Wicks said was nearly in tears with a barking back, drew a charge late in regulation. Belic sparked Wyoming early with a pair of threes. So did Dontaie Allen.

That looked right.

"There was a monumental effort today from a lot of dudes, holy cow," Wicks said. "... That's what we're supposed to be doing. That's Poke basketball. It's not going to be all magical right now, we're in year one. We're fighting to build that stuff, right?

"That's the foundation. These guys are setting that standard. They're learning how to do it and it's so important."

Wicks said his players have been viewing a lot of bad game tape of late. Those visuals don't lie. It's looked uninterested, at times. It's looked unorganized. It's looked unimaginative.

Heck, sometimes it's been downright unwatchable.

That won't be the case when that reel starts spinning tomorrow in Laramie.

"It's all a process," Wicks added. "It takes time to get the things right, but the one thing I'll tell you about this team, they aren't going to be an easy out. It's not going to be perfect on certain nights, but come March, these guys, if they keep doing this, they're going to be a really, really, really tough out."

University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

During the summer of 2021, 7220Sports.com counted down the Top 50 football players in University of Wyoming history, presented by Premier Bone & Joint Centers, Worthy of Wyoming.

The rules are simple: What was the player's impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.

This isn't a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220's Cody Tucker are Robert GagliardiJared NewlandRyan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.

We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS -- only we hope this catalog is fairer.

Don't agree with a selection? Feel free to sound off on our Twitter: @7220sports - #Top50UWFB

Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

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