Wyoming is in the midst of a rebuilding season after losing its entire starting five, leaving new coach Sundance Wicks to act fast in hopes of returning to the NCAA Tournament.
In the offseason, Wicks joined the Cowboys after one season at Green Bay where he led the Phoenix to a historic turnaround. After a 3-29 record in the season before Wicks’ arrival, the Phoenix experienced a 15-game improvement to post an 18-14 record in Wicks’ lone season.
Wyoming is nowhere near the rebuilding job Green Bay was for Wicks. If the Cowboys can improve in allowing fewer unanswered points, they will compete in a difficult Mountain West Conference and take the necessary steps to build a program with realistic NCAA Tournament aspirations.
Wicks proved at Green Bay that he can change the culture and develop players to experience improved success. Wyoming does not return a single starter from last season’s team. The starting five accounted for over 80% of the playing time last season. They also accounted for about 75% of the team’s field goal attempts.
The Cowboys are undergoing a complete makeover. Only five players are back from last year’s team, with the Cowboys bringing in eight transfers and two freshmen for this season. Preseason projections have the Cowboys’ starting five coming from their transfer athletes.
This isn’t new for Wicks. He essentially replaced the entire Green Bay roster before last season. The changes resulted in improved statistical numbers in most categories.
Compared to the 2022-23 season, the Phoenix attempted 77 more field goals and had an increase of 124 made baskets, translating to a 5.4% increase in field goal percentage.
Their shot selection included more 3-pointers, likely due to an increased confidence from behind the arc.
Can the Cowboys show similar statistical improvements? Time will tell, but they have the pieces to play Wicks’ style of basketball that made him successful at Green Bay. Three statistics the Cowboys must improve to take a step forward are improving their away record, better shot selections and being more aggressive on defense.
The Cowboys struggled on the road last season, with a record of 3-10. They need to play at a competitive level, whether on the road or at home, to improve their record.
Last season, Wyoming had a 52-point deficit between the points they scored and allowed. Improving their shot selection includes building confidence at the 3-point line and increasing their field goal percentage. Both of these factors will lead the Cowboys to minimize that deficit.
Wyoming’s opponents were more efficient in steals and turnovers. If the Cowboys want to compete in the Mountain West, they must be aggressive defensively.
Preseason projections have the Cowboys finishing at the bottom of the Mountain West Conference. But if Green Bay’s performance indicates what Wicks has in store for Wyoming basketball, then not all hope is lost.
