Jan. 26, 2010

LARAMIE, Wyo. -

Wyoming Game Notes in PDF Format

The Wyoming Cowboy basketball team will be looking to end a three-game slide this Wednesday as they welcome the Utah Runnin' Utes to the Arena-Auditorium for a 7 p.m. game.

After dropping their last three Mountain West Conference games, the Cowboys will enter Wednesday with an 8-11 overall record and a 1-4 conference mark. Utah is currently 10-9 overall and 3-2 in league games.

The Cowboys return to action after having this past weekend off, which was their first off weekend since taking a six-day break during the Christmas holiday. The off weekend came at a good time for UW, as they look to rebuild after losing their top scorer, Afam Muojeke, for the remainder of the season. Muojeke, who was averaging 17.9 points per game, ruptured the patellar tendon in his left knee at BYU last Wednesday.

Two Cowboys have considerably increased their numbers since the beginning of MWC play. Sophomore point guard JayDee Luster has increased his scoring average by 5.8 points and his assist average by 1.7. Adam Waddell has increased his scoring by 3.2 points per game. Behind Muojeke, these two are Wyoming's top scorers in league play as Waddell is averaging 13.0 points a game and Luster is averaging 10.0. Waddell currently ranks No. 7 in the MWC in rebounding with 5.6 per game.

Utah is led by three players who are scoring in double figures. Junior guard Carlon Brown leads the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game and is followed by freshman guard Marshall Henderson (11.2 ppg) and senior guard Luka Drca (10.9 ppg). Senior forward Kim Tillie leads the Runnin' Utes in rebounding with 6.1 per game and sophomore center David Foster leads the team and is tied for fourth in the nation with 4.4 blocks per game.

Wednesday's game will not be televised, but can be heard on the radio through the 25-station Cowboy Sports Network beginning with a 6:30 p.m. pregame show.

The Series Between Wyoming and Utah:
The Wyoming-Utah series dates back to Jan. 23, 1925, when Wyoming defeated Utah 31-29 in Salt Lake City. This week's meeting will be the 167th meeting in basketball, with Wyoming trailing 74-92. In Laramie, the Pokes have posted a record of 48-32.

The recent series has been dominated by the home teams. Wyoming has won 10 of the last 14 meetings in Laramie. Utah has won 12 of the last 14 games in Salt Lake City.

The Cowboys Rank Second in the Nation in Made Free Throws and Fifth in Attempts:
The Cowboys currently rank second in the nation in made free throws and fifth in attempts. Through their first 19 games of 2009-10, the Pokes have made 409 of 570 free throws, which is 71.8 percent. Last season, Wyoming led the nation in makes and ranked second in attempts.

Wyoming Ranks No. 11 in the Nation in Steals Per Game:
In this week's NCAA statistics, the Wyoming Cowboys are ranked No. 11 in the nation with 9.7 steals per game. That average is also the best in the Mountain West Conference.

Nine Different Cowboys Have Scored in Double Figures this Season:
Thus far this season, nine different Cowboys have scored in double figures. They include: Afam Muojeke (13), Adam Waddell (10), A.J. Davis (8), Djibril Thiam (8), Desmar Jackson (7), Ryan Dermody (3), JayDee Luster (2), Arthur Bouedo (2) and Daylen Harrison (1).

Up Next:
The Cowboys will take to the road this weekend and travel south to take on Air Force on Saturday. The game will begin at 1:30 p.m. from AFA's Clune Arena. It will be televised by The Mtn.