Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Brown wins alumni game
Richard Anderson photos
Bill Garnett high fives former Cowboys A.J. Johnson and Fennis Dembo among others after being introduced Saturday night the Cowboy alumni basketball game. Below, Kenny Smith tries to get past, from left, Rick Henry and Brad Enzi, with Garnett and Kerry McIntyre in the background.
By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
Reggie Slater was a little worried that no one would show up for what he hopes is an a semi-annual Cowboy basketball alumni event.
No worries, Big Cat.
“We had close to 5,000 people out here. That’s beautiful, that is wonderful man. It is something to build on,“ Slater said. “Hopefully, if guys are interested, if the fans are interested, maybe we can do this again. It was awesome.”
After a tough football game at War Memorial Stadium earlier in the day, Cowboy fans had a lot of cheer about Saturday night. Who wouldn't enjoy seeing Fennis Dembo sink a 3-pointer? How about Slater dunking the basketball or Ugo Udezue pulling down a rebound? How about Bill Garnett finishing a fastbreak? There was also Brett McFall, Kenny Smith and Sly Johnson knocking down 3-pointers like it was yesterday.
Blasts from the past, certainly, but there was a little of everything Saturday night.
How about Jim Brandenburg walking the sidelines again or having a nice conversation with current Cowboy coach Heath Schroyer before the game? How about Charles Bradley and Kenny Sailors on the bench as well? Then there is Theo Ratliff in attendance but unable to play because of his current NBA contractual obligations.
“This is what Wyoming basketball is all about,” Dembo said. “We got Coach (Brandenburg) here, we got the guys here, we’re all coming together for a great cause. We also had a lot of fun. I hadn’t seen a lot of these guys in a long time. We had a great time.”
It was special night for Brandenburg, who helped guide the Cowboys through one of their most success times in history in the 1980s.
“This means everything to me,” Brandenburg said. “The Wyoming fans are fantastic. My former players and the other former players who came back have been fantastic. It’s just been such a wonderful experience for me. Truthfully, all of the former players are still part of Wyoming basketball. It’s been a blast.”
Of course, one of the reasons everyone was at the Arena-Auditorium was to support former Cowboy Oliver Wilson, who is fighting cancer. Early in the second half, Wilson subbed in for Smith after a foul for the two free throws. Instead, he took it to the basket and made two layups to a standing ovation.Wilson has a big spot in Brandenburg’s heart and he said he believes the Wyoming basketball fans have the same affection for the former Cowboy player and his family.
“Oliver is a very, very special guy,” Brandenburg said. “He was a real glue-team guy when I was coaching here. He was very popular with his teammates. He gets his Doctorate degree and he’s the vice president of student affairs at Grand Valley University (Michigan). He’s really doing well when he comes down with colon cancer. He and family have given it a great fight. It is just a wonderful opportunity for the Wyoming people to help with those medical bills. I truly appreciate it.”
By the time the coaches and players were signing autographs, over $10,000 was raised at the event -- about 5,000 in donations and t-shirt sales, which was matched by Ratliff.
“It was great to come back for such a worthy cause,” Ratliff said. “Ollie has been through a lot and he has fought off death. We just want to do all we can do to help him. We want to keep him supported and keep his family supported.”
The game
It wasn’t the prettiest of games at times, but the competitiveness and adrenaline was apparent. The Brown team came out on top of the Gold team 105-96.
Dembo only played five minutes, but he was able to hit a 3-pointer to send the fans into a frenzy. It felt good to the player also known as the“The Electric Man,” who was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
“It was fun to hit that 3-pointer, run up and down the floor a little bit again,” Dembo said with his classic smile. “It was really nice.”
The victorious Brown team was led by Slater and McFall, who each scored 22 points. Slater, the event organizer, finished with a double-double in the game, as he also had 11 rebounds. Smith added a double-double of his own with 11 points and 11 assists.
The Gold squad, which was coached by Bradley and Sailors, had six players score in double figures, with Sly Johnson leading the way with 20 points. Kerry McIntyre and Rick Henry each chipped in 18 points.
The Brown team roster included Clint Bean, Justin French, Garnett, Tim Hunt, McFall, Slater, Smith, Bobby Traylor, Udezue, Wilson and Mark Wrapp.
The White team consisted of Mike Brown, Dembo, Brad Enzi, Henry, A.J. Johnson, Sly Johnson, McIntyre, Joe Ries, Gregg Sawyer and Roman Totta.
Other former Cowboys who were in attendance but did not play included Les Bolden, Turk Boyd, Sean Dent, Willie Jones, Rod Tyson, Ratliff and Tony Windis.
“It’s a great to see all of these guys,” Ratliff said. “Man, some of these guys I have never seen before, but I have heard stories about them.”
While there was a matador defense for much of the night, the players got into it offensively, and when it was all said and done, both teams played to win.
“That’s what we said when we took a time out,” Slater said. “We said, ‘Hey, this is all good and fun, but we do want to win.’ I thought both sides were competitive.”
Brandenburg said he didn’t have to coach, but just sat back and enjoyed the atmosphere.
And the quality of play?
“It was OK,” Brandenburg said with a smile. “For a bunch of fat old guys, they got up and down and did pretty well.”
In the end, you couldn’t help but see the smiles on the players faces. Chances are, Slater won’t have to twist any arms for many of the players -- and others who couldn’t make it this time -- to come back.
“We’re going to try to keep this thing going because we’re still away from each other too long,” Dembo said. “We want to try to get together and keep in touch with each other more often.”
The Cowboy basketball fans will likely be here again as well.
“I love these people to death,” Slater said.
Prior to the game, there was also a 3-point contest that pitted alumni players against current Cowboys. Cowboy senior Brandon Ewing won the contest by netting 15 points in a one-minute period.
Watch and learn
The current Cowboys were also in attendance and sat behind the bench with some of the former greats.
“It was a great time, a fun weekend, hanging out with those guys,” Ewing said. “Like I have said before, I always have had a great relationship with those guys -- Reggie Slater, Fennis Dembo and Theo Ratliff. It was great to see the other guys face-to-face. It was great for the university.”
While it has been years since many of the former players were with the program, they still keep tabs on what is going on. They’re also excited about the future.
“I really like this new coach,” Dembo said. “The air is very different around here.”
Slater, though a businessman in Houston, comes back often to talk to the team and help in any way he can.
“I know Heath is determined to turn this program into a very winning program; he’s been working these guys hard. When you have hard work, good things come from that,” Slater said.
Although Ratliff can’t make it back as much as he would like as he continues his NBA career, he said he enjoys his time back when he can get it.
“I just love seeing the young guys. I know how much respect they have for me and what I do and where I’ve been throughout my career. It is always great fun to come out and see the guys,” Ratliff said.
And Ratliff expects the team to continue growing to the future.
“I had a nice conversation with the coach,” Ratliff said. “He’s working hard to make sure they keep the right attitude about the game and working hard. Whatever I can do to help, I will.”
Anyone interested in donating to Wilson and his family may do so on the internet at www.owcancerfund.org. Donations can also be made through UniWyo Federal Credit Union in Laramie.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Alumni game to bring former Cowboys back together again
By Wyoming Sports.org
It will be turn back the Cowboy basketball clock day Saturday at the Arena-Auditorium.
Some of the greatest players in Cowboy basketball history will return to their old stomping grounds for an alumni basketball game.
The game, which was organized by Cowboy Hall of Fame basketball player Reggie Slater, is free to the public and will be after the Cowboy football game with Bowling Green.
The evening will begin with a 3-point shooting contest at 6:30 p.m. and the game is to tip-off after that at around 7 p.m. There will be an autograph session following the game and the players will also have a tent at Pepsi's Tailgate Park prior to the football game.
"I have always loved the University of Wyoming and have kept up with everyone in Laramie over the years," said Slater. "I try to come back to Laramie every year and be a positive influence on the current guys. While doing this, I have been fortunate enough to bring some other former players with me. All of those trips sprung the idea of bringing a big group of guys into Laramie and playing a game."
Some of the most notable names in Cowboy basketball history will be back in Laramie for this event, including seven Wyoming Hall of Fame inductees and one Hall of Fame coach. Those Hall of Fame athletes include Charles Bradley, Fennis Dembo, Bill Garnett, Eric Leckner, Theo Ratliff, Kenny Sailors and Slater, along with Hall of Fame coach Jim Brandenburg.
"I have been working hand in hand with the athletics department and we have a great group of guys coming back," said Slater. "With every guy I have talked to over the past few months, the reflection in their voices shows complete love and affection for Wyoming. The university is a part of who we all are."
The game will feature 21 former Cowboys split onto a Brown and Gold team. The Brown team roster will consist of Clint Bean, Justin French, Bill Garnett, A.J. Johnson, Brett McFall, Slater, Kenny Smith, Bobby Traylor, Ugo Udezue, Oliver Wilson and Mark Wrapp. The Gold team roster will consist of Mike Brown, Brad Enzi, Rick Henry, Tim Hunt, Sly Johnson, Eric Leckner, Kerry McIntyre, Gregg Sawyer, Roman Totta and Rod Tyson. Brandenburg will coach one team and Bradley and Sailors will coach the other. Dembo, Sean Dent, Mike Hamilton, Ratliff and Jon Sommers will also be in attendance but will not play in the game.
"I hope that this will be a fun experience for all of the fans," Slater said. "It will be fun for them to see all of these former players and find out what has happened to them. I also hope that this will be an exciting game atmosphere. It will be great to see everyone's competitive juices start flowing once the game tips off."
This alumni game is also raising funds for the Oliver Wilson Cancer Fund. Wilson was a big part of the Cowboy basketball team during the late 1980s and will be a member of the Brown team. Any donations for Oliver and his family can be made through UniWyo Federal Credit Union. There is also a website where donations can be made at www.owcancerfund.org
It will be turn back the Cowboy basketball clock day Saturday at the Arena-Auditorium.
Some of the greatest players in Cowboy basketball history will return to their old stomping grounds for an alumni basketball game.
The game, which was organized by Cowboy Hall of Fame basketball player Reggie Slater, is free to the public and will be after the Cowboy football game with Bowling Green.
The evening will begin with a 3-point shooting contest at 6:30 p.m. and the game is to tip-off after that at around 7 p.m. There will be an autograph session following the game and the players will also have a tent at Pepsi's Tailgate Park prior to the football game.
"I have always loved the University of Wyoming and have kept up with everyone in Laramie over the years," said Slater. "I try to come back to Laramie every year and be a positive influence on the current guys. While doing this, I have been fortunate enough to bring some other former players with me. All of those trips sprung the idea of bringing a big group of guys into Laramie and playing a game."
Some of the most notable names in Cowboy basketball history will be back in Laramie for this event, including seven Wyoming Hall of Fame inductees and one Hall of Fame coach. Those Hall of Fame athletes include Charles Bradley, Fennis Dembo, Bill Garnett, Eric Leckner, Theo Ratliff, Kenny Sailors and Slater, along with Hall of Fame coach Jim Brandenburg.
"I have been working hand in hand with the athletics department and we have a great group of guys coming back," said Slater. "With every guy I have talked to over the past few months, the reflection in their voices shows complete love and affection for Wyoming. The university is a part of who we all are."
The game will feature 21 former Cowboys split onto a Brown and Gold team. The Brown team roster will consist of Clint Bean, Justin French, Bill Garnett, A.J. Johnson, Brett McFall, Slater, Kenny Smith, Bobby Traylor, Ugo Udezue, Oliver Wilson and Mark Wrapp. The Gold team roster will consist of Mike Brown, Brad Enzi, Rick Henry, Tim Hunt, Sly Johnson, Eric Leckner, Kerry McIntyre, Gregg Sawyer, Roman Totta and Rod Tyson. Brandenburg will coach one team and Bradley and Sailors will coach the other. Dembo, Sean Dent, Mike Hamilton, Ratliff and Jon Sommers will also be in attendance but will not play in the game.
"I hope that this will be a fun experience for all of the fans," Slater said. "It will be fun for them to see all of these former players and find out what has happened to them. I also hope that this will be an exciting game atmosphere. It will be great to see everyone's competitive juices start flowing once the game tips off."
This alumni game is also raising funds for the Oliver Wilson Cancer Fund. Wilson was a big part of the Cowboy basketball team during the late 1980s and will be a member of the Brown team. Any donations for Oliver and his family can be made through UniWyo Federal Credit Union. There is also a website where donations can be made at www.owcancerfund.org
Monday, August 18, 2008
Cowboy basketball schedule set
By Wyoming Sports.org
The Wyoming men’s basketball team has 16 home games this season, but the highlight might be on the road -- at UCLA.
University of Wyoming head coach Heath Schroyer announced on Monday the finalized schedule and the worst-kept secret the past couple of months, with the Cowboys facing UCLA in a Dec. 23 matchup at the Pauly Pavillion.
Several of the Cowboys biggest Mountain West Conference rivals -- Colorado State, Utah, TCU and New Mexico -- are also scheduled on Saturdays this season.
“We are excited to offer 16 home games to our fans this season,” said Schroyer. “It will be great to play a Final Four team in UCLA, a top-ranked Missouri Valley Conference team in Casper like Northern Iowa and some other very good programs like Boise State and Loyola Marymount during the non-conference. We are also looking forward to renewing an old rivalry with Utah State by traveling to their tournament just after Christmas.
“I think that there is better balance on the schedule with some very good home and away games. I believe that this schedule will really benefit our RPI with the likes of UCLA, Loyola Marymount, Boise State and Utah State in addition to our conference schedule.”
The non-conference schedule is highlighted by the pre-Christmas meeting on the road with UCLA, a team who has reached the Final Four in each of the past three seasons while also winning the Pac-10 regular- season title in each of those years. The last time Wyoming faced the Bruins in basketball was in the second round of the 1987 NCAA Tournament. Behind 41 points from Fennis Dembo, the Cowboys won that game by a score of 78-68 to advance to the Sweet 16.
The Cowboys will have the luxury of playing their first six games of the season at home in the Arena-Auditorium. They will open the season with an exhibition game against the Colorado School of Mines on Nov. 8. The other November home games include meetings with Cal State Bakersfield, Prairie View A&M, Johnson & Wales, Texas State and Denver.
“I think that for this team to be able to play our first six games at home in the Arena-Auditorium will be big in a lot of ways,” said Schroyer.
In addition to UCLA, the Cowboys will also face three other NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago in Boise State, BYU and UNLV.
Another highlight will be the 2008 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wyoming Shootout in Casper on Dec. 13. The Cowboys will face Northern Iowa, a Missouri Valley Conference team that reached the NCAA Tournament in 2004, ‘05 and ‘06.
The Mountain West Conference portion of the schedule features Saturday home games against Colorado State, Utah, TCU and New Mexico. During the conference season, 15 of UW’s 16 games will be televised on either The Mtn. or CBS College Sports.
“The league is as strong as ever,” said Schroyer. “It will feature a senior laden group with a lot of experience. Thirteen of the top-20 scorers from last year will be back this season. There is no doubt that UNLV, San Diego State and BYU will be very good teams. I truly feel the rest of the conference teams all have a chance to challenge for a spot in the top half of the league."
The Cowboys will welcome back four significant contributors, including three starters, from the 2007-08 season. The group will be led by senior Brandon Ewing, the MWC’s leading scorer in each of the past two seasons.
“We are excited for the upcoming season,” added Schroyer. “I think our talent has increased, we have better character and a better attitude. It will also be very nice to bring back four guys with a great deal of experience in Brandon Ewing, Tyson Johnson, Ryan Dermody and Mikhail Linskens.
“After having to sit out last season, we are really looking forward to getting Sean Ogirri and Djibril Thiam on the floor. Sean will be a big part of our team throughout the season, while Djibril will be eligible to compete at the end of the first semester after transferring from Baylor last December. We are also looking forward to bringing two redshirts into the lineup in Afam Muojeke and Adam Waddell. All four of these guys were able to practice with us last season and learn our system. They will contribute greatly this year.”
The Cowboys will begin practice for the 2008-09 season on Oct. 17.
2008-09 Cowboy Basketball Schedule
November
Sat., Nov. 8 Colorado School of Mines (Exhibition) 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 14 Cal State Bakersfield 7 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 19 Prairie View A&M Laramie, 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 22 Johnson & Wales Laramie. 6 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 26 Texas State Laramie, 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 29 Denver Laramie, 4 p.m. (The Mtn.)
December
Wed., Dec. 3 at Boise State Boise, Idaho 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 6 at Loyola Marymount Los Angeles, Calif. TBA
Sat., Dec. 13 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wyoming Shootout
vs. Northern Iowa# Casper, 3:30 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 16 Western State Laramie, 7 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 20 Sacramento State Laramie, 6 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 23 at UCLA Los Angeles, Calif. TBA
Mon.-Wed., at Utah State Duel in the Desert Logan, Utah
Dec. 29-31 Dec. 29 vs. Houston Baptist# 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 30 vs. Howard# 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 31 vs. Utah State 8:05 p.m.
January
Sat., Jan. 3 at Utah* Salt Lake City, Utah TBA
Wed., Jan. 14 San Diego State* Laramie, 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Jan. 17 at UNLV* Las Vegas, Nev. 8 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Wed., Jan. 21 at TCU* Fort Worth, Texas 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Jan. 24 Colorado State* Laramie, 4 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Tue., Jan. 27 Air Force* Laramie, 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Jan. 31 at BYU* Provo, Utah 4 p.m. (The Mtn.)
February
Tue., Feb. 3 at New Mexico* Albuquerque, N.M. 8 p.m. (CBS C)
Sat., Feb. 7 Utah* Laramie, 2 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Feb. 14 at San Diego State* San Diego, Calif. 8 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Wed., Feb. 18 UNLV* Laramie, 8 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Feb. 21 TCU* Laramie, 1:30 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Wed., Feb. 25 at Colorado State* Fort Collins, Colo. 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Feb. 28 at Air Force* Colorado Springs, Colo. 4 p.m. (The Mtn.)
March
Wed., March 4 BYU* Laramie, 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., March 7 New Mexico* Laramie, 1:30 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Wed.-Sat., Mountain West Conference
March 11-14 Basketball Championship Las Vegas, Nev.
Wed., March 11 No. 8 Seed vs. No. 9 Seed 3 p.m.
Thu., March 12 Quarterfinals 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m.,
7 p.m., 9:30 p.m.
Fri., March 13 Semifinals 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Sat., March 14 Championship 5 p.m.
All times listed are Mountain time, tentative and subjest to change
Bold Indicates Home Games
# Indicates neutral-site games
* Indicates Mountain West Conference games
$ The 2009 Mountain West Conference Tournament will be played at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Wyoming men’s basketball team has 16 home games this season, but the highlight might be on the road -- at UCLA.
University of Wyoming head coach Heath Schroyer announced on Monday the finalized schedule and the worst-kept secret the past couple of months, with the Cowboys facing UCLA in a Dec. 23 matchup at the Pauly Pavillion.
Several of the Cowboys biggest Mountain West Conference rivals -- Colorado State, Utah, TCU and New Mexico -- are also scheduled on Saturdays this season.
“We are excited to offer 16 home games to our fans this season,” said Schroyer. “It will be great to play a Final Four team in UCLA, a top-ranked Missouri Valley Conference team in Casper like Northern Iowa and some other very good programs like Boise State and Loyola Marymount during the non-conference. We are also looking forward to renewing an old rivalry with Utah State by traveling to their tournament just after Christmas.
“I think that there is better balance on the schedule with some very good home and away games. I believe that this schedule will really benefit our RPI with the likes of UCLA, Loyola Marymount, Boise State and Utah State in addition to our conference schedule.”
The non-conference schedule is highlighted by the pre-Christmas meeting on the road with UCLA, a team who has reached the Final Four in each of the past three seasons while also winning the Pac-10 regular- season title in each of those years. The last time Wyoming faced the Bruins in basketball was in the second round of the 1987 NCAA Tournament. Behind 41 points from Fennis Dembo, the Cowboys won that game by a score of 78-68 to advance to the Sweet 16.
The Cowboys will have the luxury of playing their first six games of the season at home in the Arena-Auditorium. They will open the season with an exhibition game against the Colorado School of Mines on Nov. 8. The other November home games include meetings with Cal State Bakersfield, Prairie View A&M, Johnson & Wales, Texas State and Denver.
“I think that for this team to be able to play our first six games at home in the Arena-Auditorium will be big in a lot of ways,” said Schroyer.
In addition to UCLA, the Cowboys will also face three other NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago in Boise State, BYU and UNLV.
Another highlight will be the 2008 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wyoming Shootout in Casper on Dec. 13. The Cowboys will face Northern Iowa, a Missouri Valley Conference team that reached the NCAA Tournament in 2004, ‘05 and ‘06.
The Mountain West Conference portion of the schedule features Saturday home games against Colorado State, Utah, TCU and New Mexico. During the conference season, 15 of UW’s 16 games will be televised on either The Mtn. or CBS College Sports.
“The league is as strong as ever,” said Schroyer. “It will feature a senior laden group with a lot of experience. Thirteen of the top-20 scorers from last year will be back this season. There is no doubt that UNLV, San Diego State and BYU will be very good teams. I truly feel the rest of the conference teams all have a chance to challenge for a spot in the top half of the league."
The Cowboys will welcome back four significant contributors, including three starters, from the 2007-08 season. The group will be led by senior Brandon Ewing, the MWC’s leading scorer in each of the past two seasons.
“We are excited for the upcoming season,” added Schroyer. “I think our talent has increased, we have better character and a better attitude. It will also be very nice to bring back four guys with a great deal of experience in Brandon Ewing, Tyson Johnson, Ryan Dermody and Mikhail Linskens.
“After having to sit out last season, we are really looking forward to getting Sean Ogirri and Djibril Thiam on the floor. Sean will be a big part of our team throughout the season, while Djibril will be eligible to compete at the end of the first semester after transferring from Baylor last December. We are also looking forward to bringing two redshirts into the lineup in Afam Muojeke and Adam Waddell. All four of these guys were able to practice with us last season and learn our system. They will contribute greatly this year.”
The Cowboys will begin practice for the 2008-09 season on Oct. 17.
2008-09 Cowboy Basketball Schedule
November
Sat., Nov. 8 Colorado School of Mines (Exhibition) 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 14 Cal State Bakersfield 7 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 19 Prairie View A&M Laramie, 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 22 Johnson & Wales Laramie. 6 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 26 Texas State Laramie, 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 29 Denver Laramie, 4 p.m. (The Mtn.)
December
Wed., Dec. 3 at Boise State Boise, Idaho 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 6 at Loyola Marymount Los Angeles, Calif. TBA
Sat., Dec. 13 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wyoming Shootout
vs. Northern Iowa# Casper, 3:30 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 16 Western State Laramie, 7 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 20 Sacramento State Laramie, 6 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 23 at UCLA Los Angeles, Calif. TBA
Mon.-Wed., at Utah State Duel in the Desert Logan, Utah
Dec. 29-31 Dec. 29 vs. Houston Baptist# 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 30 vs. Howard# 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 31 vs. Utah State 8:05 p.m.
January
Sat., Jan. 3 at Utah* Salt Lake City, Utah TBA
Wed., Jan. 14 San Diego State* Laramie, 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Jan. 17 at UNLV* Las Vegas, Nev. 8 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Wed., Jan. 21 at TCU* Fort Worth, Texas 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Jan. 24 Colorado State* Laramie, 4 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Tue., Jan. 27 Air Force* Laramie, 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Jan. 31 at BYU* Provo, Utah 4 p.m. (The Mtn.)
February
Tue., Feb. 3 at New Mexico* Albuquerque, N.M. 8 p.m. (CBS C)
Sat., Feb. 7 Utah* Laramie, 2 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Feb. 14 at San Diego State* San Diego, Calif. 8 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Wed., Feb. 18 UNLV* Laramie, 8 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Feb. 21 TCU* Laramie, 1:30 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Wed., Feb. 25 at Colorado State* Fort Collins, Colo. 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., Feb. 28 at Air Force* Colorado Springs, Colo. 4 p.m. (The Mtn.)
March
Wed., March 4 BYU* Laramie, 6 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Sat., March 7 New Mexico* Laramie, 1:30 p.m. (The Mtn.)
Wed.-Sat., Mountain West Conference
March 11-14 Basketball Championship Las Vegas, Nev.
Wed., March 11 No. 8 Seed vs. No. 9 Seed 3 p.m.
Thu., March 12 Quarterfinals 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m.,
7 p.m., 9:30 p.m.
Fri., March 13 Semifinals 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Sat., March 14 Championship 5 p.m.
All times listed are Mountain time, tentative and subjest to change
Bold Indicates Home Games
# Indicates neutral-site games
* Indicates Mountain West Conference games
$ The 2009 Mountain West Conference Tournament will be played at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Willard named to UW men's basketball staff
by Wyoming Sports.org
University of Wyoming head men’s basketball coach Heath Schroyer recently announced that Scott Willard has been hired as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Cowboy basketball program.
Willard replaces Tony Schamber who had been with the Cowboy basketball program over the past four seasons.
“We are sad to see Tony go as he was a great asset to this program over the past four seasons,” said Schroyer. “We wish him nothing but the best in the future."
In his role as the director of basketball operations, Willard will be involved in all aspects of the Wyoming basketball program. His specific duties will include coordinating travel for the Cowboys, supervising the Wyoming summer camps as camp director, working as an academic liaison and scheduling future opponents.
“We are very excited about adding Scott to our staff. He has a lot of experience and is very knowledgeable in many areas,” said Schroyer. “I believe that he will help take this program to another level."
Willard comes to Wyoming from Lesley University, a Division III school in Cambridge, Mass., where he was the head men’s basketball coach for the past two seasons. At Lesley, Willard led the Lynx to the best record in school history in 2006-07 (14-13) and to their best North Atlantic Conference finish in 2007-08 (10-6). This past season, Willard led the Lynx to the championship game of the NAC. That marked the first time a Lesley University varsity team had reached a conference championship.
This past summer, Willard was selected to serve as an assistant coach for USA Basketball on both the U-18 and U-19 teams. These teams consisted of elite high school junior and seniors. He helped guide the U-18 squad to a second place finish in the Douai Classic in Douai, France. The U-19 team placed fourth, of 15 international teams, in the Albert Schweitzer tournament in Manheim, Germany.
Prior to accepting the head coaching job at Lesley, Willard worked as an instructor and facility manager at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Las Vegas from January until August of 2006. There he trained elite amateur and professional basketball players, organized and coached camps and scheduled national tournaments.
Willard began his coaching career as the head men’s basketball coach at Tilton Prep School in Tilton N.H. from 2003-05. In 2004, he led Tilton to the best record in school history (25-2), the Lakes Region Championship and the New England Prep School Athletics Conference Championship (NEPSAC). That NEPSAC Championship was the first in the 150 year history of Tilton Prep School. In 2005, Tilton once again made it to the NEPSAC Championship game.
Willard received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Kenyon College in 1997 and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Plymouth State University in 2005.
Willard and his wife, Rachel, have a 1-year old daughter, Samantha.
“After having success as a head coach at both the prep school and Division III college ranks, I’m excited to make the jump to the Division I level,” said Willard. “I am eager to learn from an established coaching staff and do my part to help Wyoming get back to the top of the Mountain West Conference
University of Wyoming head men’s basketball coach Heath Schroyer recently announced that Scott Willard has been hired as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Cowboy basketball program.
Willard replaces Tony Schamber who had been with the Cowboy basketball program over the past four seasons.
“We are sad to see Tony go as he was a great asset to this program over the past four seasons,” said Schroyer. “We wish him nothing but the best in the future."
In his role as the director of basketball operations, Willard will be involved in all aspects of the Wyoming basketball program. His specific duties will include coordinating travel for the Cowboys, supervising the Wyoming summer camps as camp director, working as an academic liaison and scheduling future opponents.
“We are very excited about adding Scott to our staff. He has a lot of experience and is very knowledgeable in many areas,” said Schroyer. “I believe that he will help take this program to another level."
Willard comes to Wyoming from Lesley University, a Division III school in Cambridge, Mass., where he was the head men’s basketball coach for the past two seasons. At Lesley, Willard led the Lynx to the best record in school history in 2006-07 (14-13) and to their best North Atlantic Conference finish in 2007-08 (10-6). This past season, Willard led the Lynx to the championship game of the NAC. That marked the first time a Lesley University varsity team had reached a conference championship.
This past summer, Willard was selected to serve as an assistant coach for USA Basketball on both the U-18 and U-19 teams. These teams consisted of elite high school junior and seniors. He helped guide the U-18 squad to a second place finish in the Douai Classic in Douai, France. The U-19 team placed fourth, of 15 international teams, in the Albert Schweitzer tournament in Manheim, Germany.
Prior to accepting the head coaching job at Lesley, Willard worked as an instructor and facility manager at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Las Vegas from January until August of 2006. There he trained elite amateur and professional basketball players, organized and coached camps and scheduled national tournaments.
Willard began his coaching career as the head men’s basketball coach at Tilton Prep School in Tilton N.H. from 2003-05. In 2004, he led Tilton to the best record in school history (25-2), the Lakes Region Championship and the New England Prep School Athletics Conference Championship (NEPSAC). That NEPSAC Championship was the first in the 150 year history of Tilton Prep School. In 2005, Tilton once again made it to the NEPSAC Championship game.
Willard received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Kenyon College in 1997 and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Plymouth State University in 2005.
Willard and his wife, Rachel, have a 1-year old daughter, Samantha.
“After having success as a head coach at both the prep school and Division III college ranks, I’m excited to make the jump to the Division I level,” said Willard. “I am eager to learn from an established coaching staff and do my part to help Wyoming get back to the top of the Mountain West Conference
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Bunker transfer to MSU-Billings
By Wyoming Sports.org
BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State Billings head men’s basketball coach, George Pfeifer, announced Tuesday the signing of University of Wyoming transfer Travis Bunker to a national letter of intent.
“Travis is a really nice player who can do a lot of things at both ends of the court and will give us a mature leader,” Pfeifer said in a release.
Bunker, a native of Beaver, Utah, is a 6-6, 210-pound senior wing. He comes to MSUB after one year at Wyoming and also played at College of Southern Idaho and Dixie State College. Last season at Wyoming, Bunker played in 27 games and started three for the Cowboys. He had a career-high nine points, six rebounds and five assists against Chadron State on New Year’s Eve.
Prior to Wyoming, Bunker played for the College of Southern Idaho for his sophomore year. He was a team captain on a team that posted a 30-7 record and advanced to the National Semifinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament. He played in 18 games for CSI, suffered a stress fracture in his foot that limited his playing time.
“I had the pleasure to witness Travis play at the NJCAA Tournament while he was at CSI,” Pfeifer added. “The tournament was his first appearance after his injury and about five minutes into the opening round game, every coach in the arena was flipping through their media guide as he was making shot after shot. I know from that tournament alone that he got a half dozen Division I offers.”
Bunker averaged 6.9 points and 5.9 rebounds at CSI and was offered scholarships to Portland State, Weber State, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Brigham Young and Utah, among others.
As a freshman at Dixie State College, Bunker averaged 9.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists as DSC posted a 21-12 record and captured its region championship.
Prior to Dixie State, Bunker redshirted at Snow College and then went on his Mission to South Korea and played the last year that Dixie State was a junior college before transferring to College of Southern Idaho.
Bunker attended Beaver High School in Beaver, Utah, where he led the team to a 22-3 record and the 2A State Championship his senior year. He was named the Utah 2A Player of the Year as a senior and averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a senior that year.
BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State Billings head men’s basketball coach, George Pfeifer, announced Tuesday the signing of University of Wyoming transfer Travis Bunker to a national letter of intent.
“Travis is a really nice player who can do a lot of things at both ends of the court and will give us a mature leader,” Pfeifer said in a release.
Bunker, a native of Beaver, Utah, is a 6-6, 210-pound senior wing. He comes to MSUB after one year at Wyoming and also played at College of Southern Idaho and Dixie State College. Last season at Wyoming, Bunker played in 27 games and started three for the Cowboys. He had a career-high nine points, six rebounds and five assists against Chadron State on New Year’s Eve.
Prior to Wyoming, Bunker played for the College of Southern Idaho for his sophomore year. He was a team captain on a team that posted a 30-7 record and advanced to the National Semifinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament. He played in 18 games for CSI, suffered a stress fracture in his foot that limited his playing time.
“I had the pleasure to witness Travis play at the NJCAA Tournament while he was at CSI,” Pfeifer added. “The tournament was his first appearance after his injury and about five minutes into the opening round game, every coach in the arena was flipping through their media guide as he was making shot after shot. I know from that tournament alone that he got a half dozen Division I offers.”
Bunker averaged 6.9 points and 5.9 rebounds at CSI and was offered scholarships to Portland State, Weber State, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Brigham Young and Utah, among others.
As a freshman at Dixie State College, Bunker averaged 9.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists as DSC posted a 21-12 record and captured its region championship.
Prior to Dixie State, Bunker redshirted at Snow College and then went on his Mission to South Korea and played the last year that Dixie State was a junior college before transferring to College of Southern Idaho.
Bunker attended Beaver High School in Beaver, Utah, where he led the team to a 22-3 record and the 2A State Championship his senior year. He was named the Utah 2A Player of the Year as a senior and averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a senior that year.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Luster will transfer to UW from New Mexico State University
By Wyoming Sports.org
University of Wyoming head basketball coach Heath Schroyer announced on Wednesday that JayDee Luster has signed a scholarship offer and will transfer to UW from New Mexico State. Luster must sit out of competition during the 2008-09 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules. He will be eligible to compete as a redshirt sophomore during the 2009-10 season.
“We are really excited about adding a player of JayDee’s caliber to the Wyoming basketball program,” said Schroyer. “He is a very talented young man who will make an immediate impact. He has a very high basketball IQ, plays at a high gear and can really push the tempo as a pure point guard. He is a proven winner and has seen success everywhere he has been.”
Luster is a -foot-9, 165-pound point guard from San Diego, Calif. In his only season with the Aggies, Luster appeared in 27 games as a true freshman. On the year, he shot 40 percent from the field while dishing out 30 assists and recording nine steals.
Luster had a tremendous high school career at Hoover High School in San Diego, where he played for coach Ollie Goulston. At Hoover, Luster became San Diego’s all-time assists and steals leader with 857 and 559, respectively. Entering his senior season, Luster had hopes of joining Jason Kidd as only the second high school player in history to score 2,000 points, dish out 1,000 assists and record 500 steals. However, Luster played in just 11 games before an injury forced him to the sidelines for the remainder of the season. Despite missing the majority of his senior season, his 559 career steals rank him third all-time nationally and second in his home state of California.
As Hoover’s starting point guard for all four years of his career, Luster averaged 19.5 points, 8.8 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.3 rebounds. Prior to the injury his senior year, he was averaging 23.3 points a game, 7.7 assists and 7.1 steals.
In his time at Hoover High School, Luster received numerous career honors. He was selected as a Student Sports Magazine All-American three times, was a three-time all-state selection, was the Central League Player of the year twice and an All-Central League selection all four years of his career. As a junior, he helped lead Hoover to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) San Diego Championship, the school’s first in 44 years. Hoover also posted a school record 28 wins and closed the season 28-6. In his career, Hoover won two Central League Championships and appeared in the CIF finals twice.
By signing Luster to a scholarship, the Cowboys have concluded their 2008-09 recruiting class. The Cowboys inked one signee in the fall, Mahamoud Diakite, and two others this spring, A.J. Davis and Boubacar Sylla. Djibril Thiam is also included in the 2008-09 class, as he transferred to UW prior to the 2008 spring semester from Baylor.
“JayDee will have four years in our program and we are very excited that he will join Afam (Moujeke), A.J. (Davis), Adam (Waddell) and Boubacar (Sylla) in a very talented class,” Schroyer said. “With the freshman and sophomore classes we have put together, we feel as though the foundation for a very bright future of Cowboy basketball has been established."
University of Wyoming head basketball coach Heath Schroyer announced on Wednesday that JayDee Luster has signed a scholarship offer and will transfer to UW from New Mexico State. Luster must sit out of competition during the 2008-09 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules. He will be eligible to compete as a redshirt sophomore during the 2009-10 season.
“We are really excited about adding a player of JayDee’s caliber to the Wyoming basketball program,” said Schroyer. “He is a very talented young man who will make an immediate impact. He has a very high basketball IQ, plays at a high gear and can really push the tempo as a pure point guard. He is a proven winner and has seen success everywhere he has been.”
Luster is a -foot-9, 165-pound point guard from San Diego, Calif. In his only season with the Aggies, Luster appeared in 27 games as a true freshman. On the year, he shot 40 percent from the field while dishing out 30 assists and recording nine steals.
Luster had a tremendous high school career at Hoover High School in San Diego, where he played for coach Ollie Goulston. At Hoover, Luster became San Diego’s all-time assists and steals leader with 857 and 559, respectively. Entering his senior season, Luster had hopes of joining Jason Kidd as only the second high school player in history to score 2,000 points, dish out 1,000 assists and record 500 steals. However, Luster played in just 11 games before an injury forced him to the sidelines for the remainder of the season. Despite missing the majority of his senior season, his 559 career steals rank him third all-time nationally and second in his home state of California.
As Hoover’s starting point guard for all four years of his career, Luster averaged 19.5 points, 8.8 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.3 rebounds. Prior to the injury his senior year, he was averaging 23.3 points a game, 7.7 assists and 7.1 steals.
In his time at Hoover High School, Luster received numerous career honors. He was selected as a Student Sports Magazine All-American three times, was a three-time all-state selection, was the Central League Player of the year twice and an All-Central League selection all four years of his career. As a junior, he helped lead Hoover to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) San Diego Championship, the school’s first in 44 years. Hoover also posted a school record 28 wins and closed the season 28-6. In his career, Hoover won two Central League Championships and appeared in the CIF finals twice.
By signing Luster to a scholarship, the Cowboys have concluded their 2008-09 recruiting class. The Cowboys inked one signee in the fall, Mahamoud Diakite, and two others this spring, A.J. Davis and Boubacar Sylla. Djibril Thiam is also included in the 2008-09 class, as he transferred to UW prior to the 2008 spring semester from Baylor.
“JayDee will have four years in our program and we are very excited that he will join Afam (Moujeke), A.J. (Davis), Adam (Waddell) and Boubacar (Sylla) in a very talented class,” Schroyer said. “With the freshman and sophomore classes we have put together, we feel as though the foundation for a very bright future of Cowboy basketball has been established."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)