Football
Associated Press 17y

Wyoming's Brown has delivered

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The University of Wyoming men's basketball
team needed and expected senior center Daaron Brown to give it a
presence in the post this season.

And like the shipping company that shares his last name in its
commercials, Brown has delivered.

Especially in recent games.

Brown tied a career-high with 19 points and posted his
second-straight double-double with 12 rebounds to help UW beat San
Diego State 66-65 Wednesday night at San Diego in the Mountain West
Conference opener for both teams.

Brown made 8 of 12 shots and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. He
had struggled at the line coming into the game at 40 percent.

But the season didn't start off so well for the junior-college
transfer from Compton, Calif.

Brown began the season on the bench with a five-game suspension
for a violation of team rules.

When he returned, Brown came off the bench in UW's next six
games and made the game-winning three-point play in the Cowboys'
76-73 victory at Colorado.

Brown made his first start of the season Dec. 16 at home against
Lamar. Brown, who is no small guy in the post at 6-foot-9, 260
pounds, held his own against Lamar center James Davis, who is 7-1
and 335 pounds. Brown scored 14 points and pulled down five
rebounds.

Brown has remained in the starting lineup since the Lamar game.
He made his sixth start against SDSU and has scored in double
figures four times. His scoring average is up to 9.1 points per
game, which is fourth on the team.

"It's pretty much just me and Joseph Taylor (in the post), so
we have to get it done," Brown said.

"Our freshmen and sophomores are still getting used to the game
and still have butterflies in their stomachs. It's up to me and
Joseph Taylor."

Taylor, another junior-college transfer from the Los Angeles
area, averages 5.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and a team-best 1.7 blocked
shots per game. He posted career-highs with 13 rebounds and five
blocked shots against SDSU.

UW's depth at the post was hurt earlier this week when senior
Chris Anderson was declared academically ineligible and will miss
the rest of the season. Anderson started UW's first nine games and
averaged 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

No other UW post player averages more than 2.3 points and 3.6
rebounds per contest.

"I've just got to maintain (my current pace) and keep it up,"
Brown said.

Meantime, coach Steve McClain became the fourth coach in school
history to win 150 games at UW.

McClain joins Everett Shelton (328-201 from 1939-59), Bill
Strannigan (179-187 from 1959-73) and Jim Brandenburg (176-97 from
1978-87), who have each won at least 150 games.

In his ninth season, McClain is 150-105.

------

Information from: Wyoming Tribune-Eagle,
http://www.wyomingnews.com

^ Back to Top ^