Cowboys looking to put 'cheeks in the seats' for BYU, New Mexico

UW coach Heath Schroyer tries to get crowd fired up.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Arena-Auditorium hasn’t exactly seemed like the Dome of Doom lately for the Wyoming Cowboys, although they have won 12 of 13 home games this season.

The fans in the stands and the noise decibels are nothing comparable to some of the best years in the Arena-Auditorium.

With two of the top teams in the Mountain West Conference -- BYU and New Mexico -- on tap for the final home games of the season, and the Cowboys shooting for a possible postseason berth, that all could change.

At least, that is what Wyoming officials are hoping for Wednesday night against the Cougars (6 p.m.) and Saturday afternoon (1:30 p.m.) against the Lobos.

Attendance at the Arena-Auditorium has steadily dropped in the last six years, with an all-time low 5,262 fans last season. In the 13 home game this year, the Cowboys are averaging just above that mark at 5,280 per game, although the numbers are up a bit more in the first six conference games (5,629).

The last time Wyoming averaged over 10,000 fans a game was the 2002-2003 season (10,108). The last time Wyoming drew over 10,000 fans in a game was on Jan. 29, 2005, when 10,025 saw the Cowboys beat Colorado State, 69-56.

Wyoming coach Heath Schroyer was asked during his weekly MWC media teleconference if he and Wyoming officials were planning anything special to get more fans to the games this week.

“I know that they were going to meet on Monday to talk about it, but I am not a marketing guy. All I know is we are playing pretty good basketball,” Schroyer said. “For us, I want the fans in the state to come out and watch us play two games against two probable NCAA Tournament teams at home. It’s been a long time since this program has played meaningful games in February and March. This week is big.”

The Cowboy Joe club sent out an e-mail release later on Monday to members, inviting UW fans to come out and support the team this week.

Here is that release:
“It is with great pleasure that we announce that the 18-10 (7-7 MWC conference) Cowboy Basketball program has a legitimate opportunity at a post-season berth if they can finish strong the final two games of the regular season. Currently the CBI (College Basketball Invitational) and NIT (National Invitation Tournament) have expressed interest in the Cowboys, and we can still obviously win the Mountain West Conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. But each and any of these opportunities are going to require the support of Poke Nation.

“We greatly encourage you, your friends, your colleagues and your family to join us for the final two home men’s basketball games, taking place in Laramie at the Arena-Auditorium. Wednesday’s game versus rival BYU (6 p.m. tip-off) and Saturday’s final home regular season game vs. New Mexico (1:30 p.m. tip-off) will determine our opportunity for a chance at the post-season and we need YOU as our 6th Man!

“Over the past twenty seasons, or since 1988-89, the Cowboy basketball program has had just 6 post-season opportunities. Chances at the post-season do not come easily and the Cowboys are going to look to you to help them in this challenge. We need to have the Arena-Auditorium rocking with the loud and proud Cowboy fans we know so many of you are. Please come out to these final two games and please support the Pokes.

“If you do not currently have tickets for either Wednesday or Saturday’s games, please feel free to contact the Wyoming Athletic Ticket Office at 307-766-4850 or you can reply to me directly and I will be happy to order them for you. Tickets cost just $18 each. “If you already have Cowboy tickets, but won’t be able to make it to either game, we encourage you to give them to someone who can. If all else fails, please let me know and I am happy to get them to someone who can use them. We need “cheeks in the seats” as they say and the Cowboys need your support these final two home games.

“Please feel free to forward this email to fellow Wyoming supporters, and thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing YOU this Wednesday the 4th and this Saturday the 7th! GO POKES!!!!”

Schroyer said that this is not a make or break week for the program, but it is a chance to play some of the “cream of the crop” teams in the league at home.

“I just hope the fans come out,” he said. “We’ve made some real strides as a program; we’ve made some real strides as a team. For us to have an opportunity to win these games, it (A-A) has got to be rockin’. I can’t put it any more blunt than that."