LARAMIE – Sundance Wicks will present counterpart Brian Dutcher with a gift before what is almost certainly San Diego State's final visit to the Area-Auditorium.
 
Wyoming's head coach wants to keep the pregame present a surprise but said the item is something he hopes Dutcher will keep displayed on the mantel in his office.
 
"A lot of these guys when they come for the last time I really want them to remember the experience and the good times they've had in Laramie," Wicks quipped during his weekly press conference Tuesday with the local media. "I don't want them to go home empty-handed."
 
The Cowboys (11-5, 2-3) would like to send the Aztecs (11-4, 5-0) home with their first Mountain West loss in what is the program's final season in the conference.
 
That will require playing at a high level on both ends of the court, which UW did during a 98-66 win over UNLV last Tuesday in the Arena-Auditorium. The Pokes played well offensively on Saturday at Nevada but allowed the Wolf Pack to shoot 60.8% from the field, including 10-for-16 (62.5%) on 3-pointers, during a 92-83 loss.
 
"San Diego State is a really good team. We don't have to talk much about them, everyone knows who they are and what they're about," Wicks said. "We've got to get a little bit tougher at getting the stops that we need at crucial points."
 
UW only committed six turnovers against Nevada and attempted seven more free throws in the game. Handling full-court pressure and keeping the visitors from parading to the free throw line will be critical against SDSU.
 
"One of the biggest things is taking care of the basketball because they're one of the highest turnover percentages in the league when it translates to scoring baskets," Wicks said. "I thought we did a pretty good job of defending without fouling against Nevada and won the free throw battle."
 
On paper, this is an intriguing matchup with the Cowboys averaging 84.0 points and allowing 72.7 points while the Aztecs have scored 82.5 points and given up 72.8 points per game.
 
SDSU was more battle-tested in non-conference play notching a win over Oregon and suffering losses to Arizona (currently No. 1 in the Associated Press poll) and Michigan (currently No. 4).
 
The Aztecs are only three years removed from losing to UConn in the national championship game and have played in the NCAA Tournament six times under Dutcher.
 
Snapping UW's 13-game losing streak in the series would be the best parting gift Wicks could give SDSU.
 
"It would be great to give anybody a loss on their way out the door. A loss of oxygen and a loss in the loss column would be great," Wicks said. "Our guys know that. We understand the task that is in front of us. San Diego State is a model of consistency. I appreciate the way their staff has been consistent, their teaching has been consistent and they're good human beings on the road when we recruit. …
 
"It's a really respectable program and I appreciate the way they built it. I've got a lot of respect for them. Now we've got to show respect by showing no respect (Wednesday). That's an old Rex Walters quote. Dissect that one of you've got some time ... show respect by showing no respect. Except for the present I give (Dutcher)."
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday on CBS Sports Network.
 
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.
 
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