Cowboys to take on ranked UCLA

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Wyoming Cowboys, at 9-1, are off to one of their best starts in several years.

What it mean against a less than stellar non-conference schedule at this point remains to be seen.

That non-conference schedule, however, just got a whole lot tougher, as the Cowboys will tackle No. 10/13 (ESPN-USA Today/AP) UCLA Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. Tip-off is slated for 8:30 p.m. Mountain Time.

Most will call this a big test for the young Cowboys, but senior guard Brandon Ewing says they don’t call it a test.

“We say it as another game with different uniforms,” Ewing said. “We've got to come ready to play, they’re a big-time team, a Top 25 team. They’ve been to the Final Four the last three years. We just have to prepare for them like we prepare for everybody else. We just have to keep playing like we have been playing.”

Wyoming head coach Heath Schroyer, however, said one would be unfounded to not know what this game means to the team.

“We’ll just take it one game at a time,” Schroyer said. “It is foolish to say that going to Pauley Pavilion to play UCLA is just another game. At the end of the day, it’s still a game and we’re going to have to move on no matter what happens. It’s a game we’re going to have to play very well. I think our guys will respond and play well.”

There’s not just history in Pauley Pavilion with all of the national championships under legendary head coach John Wooden. The current Bruins, under Ben Howland, have enjoyed plenty of success as well. Howland has guided UCLA to three straight Final Fours.

“We all have to understand as fans, there hasn’t been a team as far as I know that has been to the Final four in the last three years,” Schroyer said. “You don’t get any better than UCLA.”

The Bruins, 8-2 overall, are led by Darren Collision at 15.1 points a game, followed by Josh Shipp at 11.7 and Jrue Holliday at 10.7. Shipp, however, missed Saturday’s game against Mercer with sprained ligaments in his thump and is questionable for the Wyoming game.

In his place. Michael Roll started and scored a season-high 16 points in the 76-59 win.

“UCLA, they're a Top 25 team,“ UW senior guard Sean Ogirri said. "Of course, we're going to go at them with everything we can. We're all going to be excited and we'll be ready for them.”

UCLA’s only losses this season have been to ranked Michigan (55-52) and Texas (68-64). One common opponent has been Prairie View A&M. The Bruins won 82-58, while the Cowboys beat Prairie View 80-75.

“Obviously, we’re going to have to play very well,” Schroyer said. “I know our guys are excited about playing a perennial Final Four team. We’re going to have to be at our best to compete with UCLA. We’re going to go down there with the best game plan possible.”

Wyoming is coming off of two big wins last week (100-73 over Western State and 93-70 over Sacramento State).

The Cowboys are well aware that they are taking a huge leap in competition Tuesday against the Bruins.

“We have to just stay focused, we have to be tough, we have to be ready for the tip,” Ogirri said. If we don't, UCLA is a good team, a well-polished team and it could get scary. I just think we'll be ready.”

Is this a yardstick game for the Cowboys? Ewing said that they are treating every game as one.

“We approach every game like we’re playing a Top 25 team and try to win that game,” he said. “Win or lose, this game is not going to dictate our season. We’re just going to go in there and try to win.”

After Tuesday’s game, the Cowboys will return to action Dec. 29-31 at the Utah State Duel in the Desert in Logan, Utah.