LARAMIE – Sundance Wicks recruited Leland Walker to lead the 2025-26 Cowboys and help create a winning culture that will rub off on the young players in the program.
 
The senior point guard is doing both at a high-level during Wyoming's 7-2 start.
 
After struggling to find his groove early in his first season at UW, Walker averaged 19.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists over the last six games.
 
Despite dealing with flu-like symptoms 24 hours before tip, Walker scored a team-high 18 points, including 12 points in the second half, during the Cowboys' 93-80 comeback victory over Dartmouth on Saturday.
 
"I saw a dog," forward Adam Harakow said of Leland's performance. "Especially with him relentlessly attacking. I feel like he gave the whole team energy. It was a good way to boost the team morale seeing somebody that all week was not doing well come out and attack the way he did."
 
Walker was named the Mountain West player of the week after scoring 28 points in a 76-72 loss at No. 20 Texas Tech. The unflappable graduate transfer was not satisfied with pushing the Red Raiders to the brink in front of 10,000 of their fans in Lubbock.
 
"I feel like we can compete with anybody," Walker said. "I'm not just going to (play) a team and be like, they're going to blow us out. I'm going to go in with the utmost confidence. I feel like our team came in with the utmost confidence and we were playing defense. It did give us a lot of confidence, but we should have won that game."
 
Walker has been filling the stat sheet this season averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists through nine games. Wicks pointed out recently that the former Eastern Kentucky and Florida International standout's previous career high for offensive rebounds in a season is 14.
 
Entering UW's final non-conference home game against South Dakota on Tuesday at the Arena-Auditorium (6:30 p.m., MW Network), Walker already has 10 offensive rebounds.
 
"You don't realize what you're willing to do as a senior just to play one more game," Wicks noted.
 
The Cowboys will need another strong effort against the Coyotes (5-5), who are coming off a 89-87 overtime loss at Northern Colorado last Saturday. Guard Isaac Bruns career-high 28 points and forward Cameron Fens posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds for South Dakota.
 
UW defeated UNC 69-65 in an exhibition game in Gillette on Oct. 18.
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
Don't just watch the game — change it. The most powerful way to support University of Wyoming student-athletes is by joining the Cowboy Joe Club. Your membership fuels scholarships, provides essential resources, and helps Cowboys and Cowgirls succeed both in the classroom and in competition. Your gift is not just support — it's access. As a member, you'll enjoy exclusive benefits that bring you closer to the action than ever before. Be a champion. Join our team. Visit CowboyJoeClub.com or call 307-766-6242.