DENVER -- Wyoming is looking to start anew after a
disappointing season. Brigham Young is hoping to solidify its case
for an NCAA at-large berth.
The longtime Rocky Mountain rivals square off in the
quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament at 3:30
p.m. Thursday at Pepsi Center.
Two years removed from a second straight league title, the
Cowboys (11-16, 4-10) found themselves battling to stay out of the
cellar all season long and wound up tied with Colorado State at the
bottom. However, Wyoming earned the seventh seed because of a win
over third-seed Utah, a team which swept the Rams.
The Cougars (20-7, 10-4) started 2-4 in the conference but
reeled off eight straight to earn the second seed.
But Wyoming coach Steve McClain said his team could pull an
upset, particularly in the first round.
"It doesn't matter who you play," he said. "I've never
worried about that. Once you get there, it's an amazing fact,
you'll play somebody you've already played twice."
BYU has the MWC's top RPI and strength-of-schedule ratings but
needs to run the table to lock up an NCAA bid after Air Force's
surprising run to the regular-season title.
Senior center Rafael Araujo is the league's co-player of the
year and an All-MWC first-team pick, while four-year starter Mark
Bigelow earned second-team honors.
Controversy followed burly Araujo, a 6-foot-11, 285-pounder,
into the tourney. He received a public reprimand from the
conference following a scuffle in Saturday's BYU win over UNLV.
"We support the decision by the commissioner," BYU coach Steve
Cleveland said Tuesday. "Our athletic director Val Hale, myself
and the commissioner (Craig Thompson) had a teleconference call on
Monday and discussed the issue. We will now sit down with the
athlete and inform him of the reprimand and what it means and talk
about his actions."
The MWC issued a release stating, "Araujo was assessed an
intentional technical foul which, by NCAA rule, does not include
ejection or subsequent disciplinary action. However, upon further
review, the MWC determined that Araujo's actions were unduly
provocative toward a student-athlete and, therefore, subject to the
applicable provision of the league Sportsmanship Policy."
Araujo is averaging 18.4 points and 10.0 rebounds to lead BYU
this year. Bigelow adds 13.7 points and 3.7 rebounds while Mike
Hall contributes 12.8 points and 3.5 rebounds.
BYU led the league in steals, was second in assists, rebounding
and scoring.
Wyoming struggled to the team's worst mark in McClain's six
seasons, going 11-5 with home court advantage but 0-11 on the road.
Inconsistent post play, poor foul shooting, lack of play-making,
weak defense, turnovers -- you name it -- all hurt the Cowboys.
The Pokes are led by its guard tandem of junior Jay Straight, a
second-team All-MWC pick who leads the team with 15.9 points and
3.7 assists, and senior David Adams, who averages 9.1 points.
Junior center Alex Dunn is the team's third-leading scorer at
8.2 points and leading rebounder at 5.5 boards. He was honorable
mention All-MWC, along with senior forward Joe Ries, who scores 7.9
points and grabs 5.0 rebounds.
The Cougars beat the Cowboys in both meetings this season, 78-64
in Provo and 67-53 in Laramie.
Wyoming and BYU have been playing in the same conference
tournament for 20 years, but Thursday's game will mark only the
second meeting in league postseason play.
In 2001, BYU defeated Wyoming in the Mountain West semifinals
77-66 in Las Vegas. The Cougars were the second seed and the
Cowboys third that year.
"Now it's down to one game and you play your best, you move
on," McClain said. "If you don't, you're done."
The survivor will meet the winner of the Utah-San Diego State
game, which tips off at 1 p.m.
Other first-round games Thursday include Air Force against
Colorado State at 7 p.m. and New Mexico vs. UNLV at 10 p.m.