
Wyoming’s Sundance Wicks Believes in His Big Man
LARAMIE -- Call it a challenge. Call it a premonition. Call it faith.
Whatever it is, Sundance Wicks said Monday morning he believes he could be getting more out of big man Cole Henry.
Now, he is hoping the fifth-year senior feels the same.
"I said, 'Who do you think you are?'" Wyoming's first-year head coach said, flashing his trademark smile, referring to an interaction he had with the 6-foot-9 forward last week before a practice session. "He's like, 'What's happening? Why is coach yelling?' ... He said, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'Like, you're 10-and-5 in the Mountain West. When you're aggressive, you're 10-and-5 in the Mountain West -- and it's not even close.
"You're a real guy. You could be that guy.'"

The Northern Iowa transfer is currently a 6.4-and-3.8 guy. His coach thinks those scoring and rebounding numbers, respectively, can vault. Henry has reached double figures five times this season. He netted 10 and snatched five boards in a 61-53 home loss to New Mexico last Tuesday night, a game Wyoming held a 14-point lead in at halftime.
It could've been more.
Henry failed to convert a pair of and-one's, missing the freebie from the stripe on both occasions. He also misfired on two missed layups early in the first half. He failed to connect on two more down the stretch. He also couldn't flush a slam dunk with 6:36 left on the clock and the Cowboys clinging to a two-point lead.
That alone is 10 points left on the court.
Henry, like his father, wants to be a coach one day. He certainly has the basketball IQ. It's not uncommon to see him dishing out backdoor passes, finding the open man on the perimeter and weaknesses in defenses.
That's just a sample size of why Wicks has so much confidence in the Oskaloosa, Iowa product.
"I think a lot of times players need to know you believe in them," Wicks said. "Like, I believe in the fact that when his effort, energy and enthusiasm is right, and when his aggression is right, he's a 10-and-5 guy, because he knows how to get out of screens. He's smart, intelligent. He could get a couple fouls, pin a couple fouls, get to the free-throw line, get some more boards, make some winning plays. He's just that type of guy."
Henry's current stat line is the best it's been in his long college career. At UNI, he was a role player, starting just seven games in four seasons.
He took on a larger role during the 2022-23 campaign and proved he could pose a problem in the paint, averaging better than five points and four rebounds a night. Six times he landed in double figures. He reeled in a dozen loose balls in a January victory over Southern Illinois.
Henry is capable. Now, can he be consistent?
"He didn't have to be that guy at Northern Iowa, but, for us, I believe that he could be that guy, just given the opportunity," Wicks added. "He looked at me and he goes, 'That's what you believe? Then I believe it.'
"I believe it, now go do it, dang it."
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