Tuck’s Take: Wyoming’s Response Was There, Results Weren’t

LARAMIE -- Sundance Wicks didn't mince words last Wednesday night after a mostly forgettable 17-point loss at the hands of Mountain West frontrunner San Diego State.

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The effort, especially on the defensive end of the floor, simply wasn't good enough. A leader, he added, never emerged. In fact, Wyoming's eccentric head coach admitted postgame that he practically had to beg his team to communicate and display energy.

"We have no heart right now," Wicks said after the 74-57 setback in Laramie. "When we're met with force, when we're met with toughness, when we're met with a big challenge, we lack grit, we lack toughness, we lack heart and we lack the intangibles."

Response.

That's what the bench boss was seeking in the days that followed, which included a Saturday trip to Fresno State. That demand isn't a foreign concept -- and, led by Leland Walker, it has happened before. After road losses at Sam Houston State, Texas Tech and New Mexico, the Cowboys did bounce back in the following outing.

That hasn't been the case of late.

Wyoming (11-7, 2-5) did drop a 63-60 decision Saturday inside the Save Mart Center. Walker led all scorers with 17, but, again, Wicks' squad was unable to string together enough stops over the final eight-plus minutes of regulation.

This time, though, it wasn't a lack of care or motivation that led to the Cowboys' fourth loss in five games, it was just a hard-fought tilt that didn't go the visitor's way, he added. And unlike many of those mounting losses, Wyoming was in this one to the very end.

That, also hasn't always been the case.

Wicks smiled Monday as he sat behind the podium for his weekly press conference. If you thought you were getting the cranky, downtrodden version of the 45-year-old, you'd be mistaken. His message to his players after that road loss in California's Central Valley: "I'm proud of you."

Not everything happens in front of the cameras.

"We walked into practice -- and we couldn't go super hard because we had a game coming up -- and (the players) had already started practice without us," Wicks said, referring to last Thursday's workout inside the Arena-Auditorium. "That's the first time since I've been here, in my two years, that they came on to the floor and started practice. They were already full-lather before we got down there.

"... The voices were loud. The guys were engaged. They were all going at it. That was a sign of life for me that I wanted to see. Just take some ownership."

That level of care doesn't always translate to wins, but it will at some point.

"It's a great step in the process," Wicks continued.

RP40.

It's a mantra this program is being built on. It means relentless pressure for 40 minutes, on both ends of the floor. That came to fruition time and time again during a non-conference slate that didn't exactly include the who's who of the college basketball world.

Wicks warned league play would be a different animal.

And now he has new marching orders after last week's mental reset: "Be a tone setter."

Grand Canyon has one of those in Makaih Williams. Utah State has a pair in Mason Falslev and Karson Templin. San Diego State features Miles Byrd, Magoon Gwath and Miles Heide.

Who will be that guy for Wyoming?

We know it won't be Naz Meyer. Not this Tuesday night, anyway, with Boise State paying a visit to the high plains.

The 6-foot-7 freshman phenom, who is averaging nearly 14 points per night, is currently in concussion protocol. That will lead to a domino effect throughout this roster. Simm-Marten Saadi will be relied upon down low. Adam Harakow and even walk-on Garrett Spielman could be moved to the "three spot."

Wyoming is also still without the services of Jared Harris (toe) and Matija Belic (ankle)

A zone defense could be en route, too, combating the bigger lineups that just keep coming in waves.

"Who's the guy that has the voice that sets the tone? Who's the guy that has the body language that sets the tone? I'm not sure we have a lot of guys who are still supremely confident in who they are, and that's part of being young players," Wicks said. "But, also, when you get retention in a program, it's easy to come back the next year and be able to set a tone, because you understand what the tone needs to be."

The better questions might be: Who will step up and be the alpha?

It's time for that guy to emerge.

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