LAS VEGAS — In a tightly contested Mountain West Championship Tournament opener that came down to the final buzzer, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels edged out the Wyoming Cowboys 73-70 on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, advancing to the next stage of the conference's premier postseason showcase. The Sporting Tribune dispatched photographers DJ Cabanlong and Kalin Sipes courtside to document every pivotal moment of this high-stakes clash in Las Vegas, delivering an exclusive visual chronicle of the action below.
DJ Cabanlong - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels forward Jacob Bannarbie (10) attacks the paint, muscling up a contested lay-up against Wyoming's interior defense during the Mountain West Championship Tournament first-round matchup in Las Vegas on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
DJ Cabanlong - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels guard Howie Flemming Jr. (3) elevates for a signature fadeaway jumper, showcasing the perimeter scoring versatility that made him a consistent offensive weapon throughout the Mountain West Championship Tournament opener against Wyoming on March 11, 2026.
DJ Cabanlong - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels guard Dra Gibbs-Longhorn (0) erupts with an emphatic roar after converting an and-one opportunity, an electric moment emblematic of UNLV's competitive intensity during their narrow three-point triumph over the Cowboys in the Mountain West Championship Tournament on March 11, 2026.
DJ Cabanlong - The Sporting Tribune
Wyoming Cowboys head coach Sundance Wicks directs his squad with urgent sideline instructions during the Mountain West Championship Tournament first-round contest against UNLV, a game that ultimately slipped from Wyoming's grasp by a razor-thin margin on March 11, 2026 in Las Vegas.
DJ Cabanlong - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels forward Walter Brown (22) drives aggressively into the lane, absorbing contact as he attempts a contested lay-up against Wyoming's defensive scheme during the Mountain West Championship Tournament first-round battle in Las Vegas on March 11, 2026.
Kalin Sipes - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels forward Kimani Hamilton (2) rises to emphatically reject a shot attempt by Wyoming guard Nasir Meyer (2), a defining defensive play that underscored UNLV's rim-protection prowess throughout their Mountain West Championship Tournament opening-round victory on March 11, 2026.
Kalin Sipes - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels forward Jacob Bannarbie (10) navigates through a physical double-team from Wyoming's Gavin Gores (11) and guard Khaden Bennett (3) as he pushes relentlessly toward the basket during the Mountain West Championship Tournament first-round showdown in Las Vegas on March 11, 2026.
Kalin Sipes - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels forward Tyrin Jones (6) delivers a decisive shot rejection against Wyoming guard Uriah Rojas (0), one of several pivotal defensive stops that helped UNLV preserve its slender advantage in the Mountain West Championship Tournament opener on March 11, 2026 in Las Vegas.
Kalin Sipes - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels guard Howie Fleming (3) surveys the floor with composure, reading Wyoming's defensive alignment before initiating the next offensive sequence during the Mountain West Championship Tournament first-round contest in Las Vegas on March 11, 2026.
Kalin Sipes - The Sporting Tribune
Rebels forwards Tyrin Jones (6) and Walter Brown (22) apply a suffocating tandem defensive presence on Wyoming's Leland Walker in transition, exemplifying the coordinated team-defense principles that proved instrumental in UNLV's 73-70 Mountain West Championship Tournament victory on March 11, 2026.