2020–21 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team

The 2020–21 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team represented the University of Wyoming during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were be led by Jeff Linder in his first year as head coach at Wyoming. The Cowboys played their home games at the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie, Wyoming as members of the Mountain West Conference. In a season limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Cowboys finished the season 14–11, 7–9 in Mountain West play to finish in seventh place. They defeated San Jose State in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament before losing to San Diego State in the quarterfinals.

2020–21 Wyoming Cowboys basketball
ConferenceMountain West Conference
2020–21 record14–11 (7–9 MW)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaArena-Auditorium
2020–21 Mountain West Conference men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
No. 16 San Diego State143 .824235  .821
Utah State154 .789209  .690
Colorado State144 .778208  .714
Boise State146 .700199  .679
Nevada107 .5881610  .615
Fresno State911 .4501212  .500
UNLV810 .4441215  .444
Wyoming79 .4381411  .560
San Jose State313 .188516  .238
Air Force317 .150520  .200
New Mexico215 .118616  .273
2021 MW Tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

Previous season

The Cowboys finished the 2019–20 season 9–24, 2–16 in Mountain West play to finish in last place in the conference. As the 11 seed in the Mountain West Tournament, they upset Colorado State and Nevada to reach the semifinals, where they lost to Utah State. They became the first ever 11 seed to win a game at the Mountain West Tournament.

On March 9, 2020, head coach Allen Edwards was fired.[1] He finished at Wyoming with a four-year record of 60–76. On March 17, the school announced that Northern Colorado head coach Jeff Linder had been named head coach.[2]

Offseason

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownReason for departure
Jake Hendricks0G6'5"170SeniorSmithfield, UTGraduated
A.J. Banks2G6'2"163SeniorLas Vegas, NVGraduated
TJ Taylor11G/F6'6"197SophomoreChesapeake, VATransferred to James Madison[3]
Greg Milton III12G6'3"185SophomoreElk Grove, CATransferred to Cal State San Marcos[3]
Brandon Porter13F6'8"193SophomoreVirginia Beach, VATransferred to Humboldt State[3]
Austin Mueller14F6'6"210SophomoreHighlands Ranch, COInjuries[4]
Tyler Morman15F6'9"220JuniorMableton, GATransferred to Southern Miss[3]
Javier Turner31F6'11"230FreshmanOmaha, NETransferred to Wabash Valley College[3]

Incoming transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Drake Jeffries0G6'5"185JuniorMattoon, ILIndian Hills Community College[3]
Drew LaMont2F6'8"225JuniorPlantation, FLIndian River State College[3]
Eoin Nelson11F6'10"225SophommoreDublin, IREOtero Junior College[3]

2020 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Xavier Dusell
G
Scottsdale, AZ Arizona Compass Prep 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Mar 24, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Marcus Williams
SG
Dickinson, TX Dickinson HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Apr 9, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Graham Ike
F
Aurora, CO Overland HS 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Apr 15, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Jeremiah Oden
F
Chicago, IL Sunrise Christian Academy 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 180 lb (82 kg) May 2, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout:   Rivals: 53
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "ESPN – Wyoming Cowboys Basketball Recruiting 2020". ESPN.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  • "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.

    2021 recruiting class

    Roster

    2020–21 Wyoming Cowboys men's basketball team
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
    G 0 Drake Jeffries 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)185 lb (84 kg) RS JrIndian Hills CC
    Mattoon HS
    Mattoon, IL
    G 1 Marcus Williams 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg) FrDickinson HS Dickinson, TX
    F 2 Drew LaMont 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)225 lb (102 kg) JrIndian River State College
    American Heritage HS
    Plantation, FL
    G 3 Kwane Marble II 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)195 lb (88 kg) SoDenver East HS Denver, CO
    F 10 Hunter Thompson 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)235 lb (107 kg) RS JrPine Bluffs HS Pine Bluffs, WY
    F 11 Eoin Nelson 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)225 lb (102 kg) SoOtero Junior College
    UCD Marian
    Dublin, IRE
    G 22 Kenny Foster 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)190 lb (86 kg) SoSmoky Hill HS Aurora, CO
    G 24 Hunter Maldonado 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)200 lb (91 kg) RS JrVista Ridge HS Colorado Springs, CO
    F 25 Jeremiah Oden 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)180 lb (82 kg) FrSunrise Christian Academy Chicago, IL
    F 33 Graham Ike  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)245 lb (111 kg) FrOverland HS Aurora, CO
    G 53 Xavier DuSell 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)190 lb (86 kg) FrArizona Compass Prep Scottsdale, AZ
    F 55 John Grigsby 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)215 lb (98 kg) FrPark Center HS Louisville, CO
    Head coach
    Assistant coach(es)

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster
    Last update: October 16, 2020

    Statistics

    Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
    Terrin Dickey 10.4.0.0.0.0.0
    Xavier DuSell 251123.7.497.456.7001.9.9.4.09.7
    Kenny Foster 171224.5.464.419.7223.6.9.4.49.1
    John Grigsby 301.0.000.000.0.0.0.0.0
    Graham Ike 12721.3.602.000.6835.4.8.5.311.2
    Drake Jeffries 25422.6.381.366.8822.7.8.5.37.4
    Drew LaMont 5010.4.500.5001.0001.2.8.0.03.4
    Hunter Maldonado 252535.8.419.200.6946.84.61.2.412.5
    Kwane Marble II 231323.0.456.308.7344.11.21.0.09.5
    Eoin Nelson 809.9.579.5003.1.0.3.03.1
    Jeremiah Oden 231113.7.393.241.8572.7.4.3.34.0
    Hunter Thompson 241823.4.426.358.7503.8.9.6.57.0
    Marcus Williams 252431.1.452.330.7052.54.31.4.214.8

    Schedule and results

    The beginning of the season was delayed until November 25 as a result of the ongoing COVID–19 pandemic.[5] The Mountain West conference announced changes to the conference schedule that included a 20-game conference slate,[6] and the school announced the non-conference portion of their schedule November 10.[7]

    Date
    time, TV
    Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Non-Conference
    November 28, 2020*
    2:00 pm
    Mississippi Valley State W 97–61  1–0
    Arena-Auditorium (1,126)
    Laramie, WY
    November 30*
    7:00 pm
    Texas Southern L 74–76  1–1
    Arena-Auditorium (1,066)
    Laramie, WY
    December 2*
    7:00 pm
    Incarnate Word W 94–83 OT 2–1
    Arena-Auditorium (1,066)
    Laramie, WY
    December 6*
    2:00 pm, P12N
    at Oregon State W 76–73  3–1
    Gill Coliseum 
    Corvallis, OR
    December 9*
    7:00 pm
    Denver W 83–61  4–1
    Arena-Auditorium (736)
    Laramie, WY
    December 12*
    2:00 pm
    at Utah Valley W 93–88  5–1
    UCCU Center 
    Orem, UT
    December 17*
    7:00 pm
    Omaha W 82–78  6–1
    Arena-Auditorium 
    Laramie, WY
    Mountain West Conference
    January 2, 2021
    5:00 pm
    at Fresno State W 78–74  7–1
    (1–0)
    Save Mart Center 
    Fresno, CA
    January 4
    7:00 pm
    at Fresno State L 61–81  7–2
    (1–1)
    Save Mart Center 
    Fresno, CA
    January 11
    7:00 pm, CBSSN
    Boise State L 60–83  7–3
    (1–2)
    Arena-Auditorium 
    Laramie, WY
    January 13
    7:00 pm, CBSSN
    Boise State L 70–90  7–4
    (1–3)
    Arena-Auditorium 
    Laramie, WY
    January 16
    2:00 pm
    at Air Force L 69–72  7–5
    (1–4)
    Clune Arena 
    Colorado Springs, CO
    January 18
    7:00 pm
    at Air Force W 77–58  8–5
    (2–4)
    Clune Arena 
    Colorado Springs, CO
    January 22
    6:00 pm, Stadium
    Nevada W 71–64  9–5
    (3–4)
    Arena-Auditorium 
    Laramie, WY
    January 24
    2:00 pm, CBSSN
    Nevada W 93–88  10–5
    (4–4)
    Arena-Auditorium 
    Laramie, WY
    January 28
    7:00 pm, FS1
    at San Diego State L 57–87  10–6
    (4–5)
    Viejas Arena 
    San Diego, CA
    January 30
    8:00 pm, CBSSN
    at San Diego State L 71–98  10–7
    (4–6)
    Viejas Arena 
    San Diego, CA
    February 4
    7:00 pm
    Colorado State
    Border War
    L 72–74  10–8
    (4–7)
    Arena-Auditorium (1,807)
    Laramie, WY
    February 6
    4:00 pm, CBSSN
    Colorado State
    Border War
    L 59–68  10–9
    (4–8)
    Arena-Auditorium (2,000)
    Laramie, WY
    February 17
    6:00 pm
    vs. New Mexico W 83–74 OT 11–9
    (5–8)
    Clune Arena 
    Colorado Springs, CO
    February 19
    7:00 pm, CBSSN
    vs. New Mexico W 79–67  12–9
    (6–8)
    Clune Arena 
    Colorado Springs, CO
    February 25
    7:00 pm
    San Jose State Cancelled Arena-Auditorium 
    Laramie, WY
    February 27
    2:00 pm
    San Jose State Cancelled Arena-Auditorium 
    Laramie, WY
    March 4
    7:30 pm, FS1
    at Utah State L 59–72  12–10
    (6–9)
    Smith Spectrum (1,627)
    Logan, UT
    March 6
    9:00 pm, CBSSN
    UNLV W 80–69  13–10
    (7–9)
    Arena-Auditorium (1,182)
    Laramie, WY
    Mountain West Tournament
    March 10
    12:00 pm, Stadium
    (8) vs. (9) San Jose State
    First round
    W 111–80  14–10
    Thomas & Mack Center 
    Paradise, NV
    March 11
    1:00 pm, CBSSN
    (8) vs. (1) No. 19 San Diego State
    Quarterfinals
    L 66–69  14–11
    Thomas & Mack Center 
    Paradise, NV
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    All times are in Mountain Time.

    Source[8]

    References

    1. Potter, Davis (9 March 2020). "Wyoming fires men's basketball coach Allen Edwards". Casper Star Tribune. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
    2. "Wyoming hires Northern Colorado's Linder as head coach". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
    3. Potter, Davis (2 May 2020). "Keeping track of Wyoming basketball's scholarship numbers". Casper Star Tribune. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
    4. Potter, Davis (21 September 2020). "Veteran forward not returning to Wyoming's basketball team". Casper Star Tribune. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
    5. Potter, Davis (16 September 2020). "College hoops' new start date pushes back Wyoming's seasons to Thanksgiving week". Casper Star Tribune. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
    6. "MOUNTAIN WEST ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO 2020-21 BASKETBALL FORMATS" (Press release). Colorado Springs, Colorado: Mountain West Conference. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
    7. Seeman, Nick (10 November 2020). "Cowboy Basketball Announces Non-Conference Slate". GoWyo.com. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
    8. "University of Wyoming Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball". gowyo.com.
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