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LOCATION: Laramie, WY
CONFERENCE: Mountain West
LAST SEASON: 18-10 (.643)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 7-7 (t-4th, WAC Mountain)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 0/5
NICKNAME: Cowboys
COLORS: Brown & Yellow
HOMECOURT: Arena Auditorium (15,028)
COACH: Steve McClain (Chadron State '84)
record at school 18-10 (1 year)
career record 18-10 (1 year)
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ASSISTANTS: Steve Roccaforte (Lamar '89)
Vonn Webb (Western New Mexico '89)
John Adams (Iowa State '95)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 13-14-12-19-18
RPI (last 5 years) 133-128-158-56-74
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in NIT second round.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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It didn't take Steve McClain long to have an effect at Wyoming. Taking mostly Larry Shyatt's players, McClain took his TCU-based up-tempo, pressure system and turned Wyoming into a high-altitude hell for opponents. Suddenly, in just one year, the Cowboys went from a dull, grind-it-out team to one of the most exciting in the league Instead of Shyatt's bruising style of defense first and defense last, McClain shifted the emphasis back on the offense. The up-tempo approach brought back the days of Fennis Dembo to the Arena Auditorium as the Cowboys were willing to push the basketball. The Cowboys finished in a tie for fourth in the WAC Mountain Division, but in a quirky tiebreaker they were left out of the conference tournament. But in an even more rare case, the NIT took the Cowboys even though they didn't qualify for their own conference tournament. It showed foresight as the Cowboys beat Southern Cal in the first round before falling to eventual NIT Final Four participant Oregon on the road. This year, in a new league but finally in a familiar style, the Cowboys return all five starters and have a legitimate chance to make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth.
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B BENCH/DEPTH B
FRONTCOURT B INTANGIBLES C+
The starting five can contend with any in the Mountain West and is good enough to repeat an 18-win season. However, that's not enough to get into the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys were 12-2 at home but only 3-7 away 1-6 in the league. They'll run into the same problems at Utah and New Mexico, but must find a way to win at Colorado State, Air Force, San Diego State and Brigham Young. The critical game could be at UNLV, which could decide whether or not the Cowboys can realistically challenge for not only the MWC title (or at least second) or a berth. The Cowboys will have an All-American candidate in Ugo Udezue and have enough role players who can get into double figures to make them a factor in the race and in the bubble watch throughout the winter. |
"We're nine to 10 deep with guys who have played a lot of minutes in Division I basketball," McClain said. "If we're able to win on the road and be better defensively we can get there. We've already proven we're very good at home and can win big games. That's the mark of a postseason team. "Our kids are talking about the next step to the NCAA Tournament," McClain said. "We can stay in games long enough to win them with our offense. We can beat good teams on the road. If we can get the rebounding we can be there. The key is to keep Ugo (Udezue) and Josh (Davis) healthy all year long. We're as good as anybody we'll play against." The reason for the optimism lies with the 6-8, 237-pound Udezue (20.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.1 apg). No one could have predicted a turnaround like he had a year ago. Udezue was a spot player as a freshman, but he finished 29th in the nation in scoring as a sophomore and was a second-team All-WAC player. He was one of only 12 players in the program's history to average more than 20 points a game in a season. During his final 11 games, Udezue was nearly unstoppable. He scored 20 or more points in 10 of 11 games, including 33 at Air Force, 32 against Texas-Pan American, 31 at SMU, 28 against Southern Cal and at Texas Christian, 26 against Colorado State and 25 each against Tulsa and Rice. "The greatest thing is that he hasn't changed a bit," McClain said. "He spent all summer working just as hard. He's moved his game to the perimeter some. He's not just a back-to-the-basket guy." Udezue isn't the only offensive player inside. The 6-8 Davis (8.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.0 apg) gave the Cowboys the tenacity needed along the lane as a freshman. He was on a tear before an ankle injury limited him during the second half of the season. McClain said he's bigger and stronger and expects him to average 15-17 points and nine rebounds. While McClain tried to land Indian Hills center Uche Amadi (he didn't make it academically) to push Davis and Udezue down a notch in the lane, he'll have to settle for bringing back 6-7 senior LeDarion Jones (10.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.2 apg). The former Clemson forward was supposed to do what Udezue did last year. Instead, he was more of a serviceable forward without the flash. Jones missed the final six games of the regular season because of a knee injury and could be pushed in the starting lineup if McClain has his way. He's confident that 6-4 freshman Aaron Abrams of Rancho Buena Vista (Calif.) HS can supplant Jones or at the very least test him in the preseason. McClain loves Abrams' athleticism on the wing, playing him either facing the basket or even posting up despite his size. Jones will have to score in double figures and grab five to six boards to hold down the small-forward spot if Abrams doesn't take it from him. "Aaron got adjusted to playing at this level this summer," McClain said. "He can create his own shots and with him and Anthony Blakes together, we've got a pair of athletic wings." McClain wants players who can get their own shot and that's why Abrams has a home. The 6-2 Blakes did that for him as a junior last year as a combination guard. He's the type of player who can shoot a three-pointer, put it on the floor and then dunk over you. "His athleticism bothers people," McClain said. "He's not only a great offensive player but one of our best defenders." Blakes (11.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 4.5 apg) was an all-defensive team member while 5-10 sophomore point guard Chris McMillian (9.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.6 apg) was an all-newcomer. He started all 28 games and showed the toughness of a senior. He led the team in minutes played, assists, free-throw shooting and was second on the team in steals and ranked in the top 20 in the WAC in assists, steals and free-throw shooting. "He was something," McClain said. "There's not too many freshmen who can come in and start like that. He was a team leader and played a big role in getting us in the postseason." The depth at the point got better with the return of 6-foot redshirt junior Andy Young, who played in one game and scored three points in eight minutes. He sat out all but one game last year with hip and back injuries. He started all 28 games in 1997-98, giving the Cowboys as strong a combination as any team in the Mountain West. The problems are a lack bench. While the starters return and McClain is high on Abrams and Young as the first two off the bench or maybe starting the eighth, ninth and 10th spots need to continue to prove themselves. Six-foot sophomore guard Bret McFall (4.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.6 apg), 6-6 senior forward Justin French (4.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 apg), 6-6 junior guard Brad Mann (7.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.9 apg) all need to give them some pop off the bench. Mann is the best shooter, especially on threes (.383 percent). McFall can work the offense. French started 11 games for the Cowboys, mostly down the stretch. "Brad can give us that three-point threat off the bench," McClain said. "French could allow us to move LeDarion to the four sometimes. We can move Josh to the five when Ugo comes out, too." Marc Bailey, a 6-5 freshman from East HS in Cheyenne, Wyo., is probably a deep reserve while 6-3 redshirt junior Mark Curry adds to the depth, too. The Cowboys are still not as tall as they need to be outside of Udezue, who plays a few inches taller.
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