LARAMIE -- "Dontaie, Dontaie, Dontaie."

Sundance Wicks said that just moments after his team knocked off the College of Idaho 80-63 in last Friday's exhibition opener.

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It was drawn out, exaggerated.

It was accompanied by a slight head shake and the head coach's trademark grin.

It was in response to a 13-point night from newcomer Dontaie Allen.

That debut performance also included six defensive rebounds, an assist and a steal. The 6-foot-6 combo guard didn't contribute to the Cowboys' generosity that night, either. Wyoming turned the ball over 20 times.

Allen, zero.

So, what's the issue?

"He's my nemesis right now -- and I love him," Wicks added. "Dontaie and I have a love-hate relationship right now. I love Dontaie. Dontaie's a gamer. Dontaie has been in big games, big moments. He was Mr. Basketball Kentucky. He's a Hooper. He's played in the NCAA Tournament.

"Dontaie is a gamer. Gamers drive coaches nuts sometimes, because Dontaie don't take practice as serious as I want him to take practice."

Allen's résumé is indeed an impressive one.

He earned the most-coveted moniker in the basketball-crazed Bluegrass State after netting 3,255 career points at Pendleton County High School in his native Falmouth. In just 13 outings during his senior season, Allen averaged 42.9 points per game to go along with 14.2 rebounds.

Yes, you read that right.

It's no wonder John Calipari came calling.

Florida offered, too. So did Vanderbilt, Clemson, Illinois, Iowa State, Purdue, Tennessee, Louisville and a whole host of other schools. Allen's profile on 247sports.com, a recruiting website, is two pages long.

He stayed home and suited up for the Kentucky Wildcats, appearing in 41 games over a two-year span. He combined to average 10.2 minutes a night. He averaged roughly four points.

Allen poured in a season-high 23 points twice during his freshman campaign, both coming against Mississippi State. He drilled 13-of-24 from beyond the arc.

 

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His minutes diminished drastically the following year. So did his production. He was held scoreless 11 times. He reached double figures just once. You might remember this Wildcats' squad. A No. 2 seed, it went on to fall in the opening round of March Madness to a Cinderella Saint Peter's team that advanced all the way to the Elite Eight.

Allen would hop in the Transfer Portal that offseason and land three hours southwest of Lexington in Bowling Green, Kent.. He was a Hilltopper.

There, Allen netted nearly nine points a night over his two seasons at Western Kentucky, He showed flashes of that prep star, reaching double digits in seven straight games during the 2022-23 year. The following January he had a career night in a 105-91 victory over Florida International, connecting on 9-of-11 shots, including five from distance, in a 30-point outing.

WKU claimed the Conference-USA title on the back of Allen's 13-point performance against New Mexico State and vaulted the 'Toppers into the NCAA Tournament.

Wicks wants all of those accomplishments above to translate to initiative.

"I need his experience, his knowledge and his wisdom," Wicks added. "I need him to give that gift away to his teammates that don't understand, that haven't been to the places he's been and seen the things he's done. I've seen the things he's seen. For me, that's the level up for him.

"He could be an elite leader as well as an elite player."

Allen, soft-spoken and straight to the point, shrugged his shoulders after Wyoming's win over the Yotes. That was in response to his final stat line. He said the team was locked in, there to win.

He was also a plus-31 during his 26-plus minutes of court time.

"I just try to play the right way, man," Allen said. "As coach says, always keep the flow. So, I'm just trying to play right and maybe, if it turns out like that, then good. But I'm just glad we got the win."

Wicks said he knew what to expect from Allen offensively when he snagged him from the portal last spring. He shoots nearly 40% from three and from the field. It's the other side of the floor that has been a work in progress.

There have been marked improvements in that department, Wicks said, adding that Allen has all the tools to be a complete player during his final collegiate season.

"He's got 'it'", Wicks said. "Now, I need him to have 'it' in practice for us to get better, because I need those other guys to grow, too. So, I love that he's a gamer, (but it) drives me nuts that he's not a practice guy, all the time. But that's part of this process -- becoming an everyday dude.

"It's hard to show up every single day to practice and just know, like, today's going to be a grind. We gotta go to the coal mines today, you know?"

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