March 4, 2008

LARAMIE, Wyo. -

Complete Weekly Press Release in PDF Format

The Wyoming Cowboys (12-16 overall, 5-10 in the Mountain West Conference) travel to Provo, Utah, on Wednesday to face the BYU Cougars (23-6, 12-2 in the MWC) in the regular-season finale for Wyoming. Wednesday's game will tip off at 8 p.m. and will be televised live on The Mtn. The game will also be broadcast live on radio over the Cowboy Sports Network. The radio broadcast will begin a 7:30 p.m.

Wyoming is coming off one of its best week's of the season, recording back-to-back wins over Colorado State on the road and Utah in Laramie, Wyo. With those two wins, Wyoming swept the regular-season series against both the Rams and Utes.

BYU leads the Mountain West Conference race with its 12-2 conference record, and defeated the Cowboys in Laramie earlier this season by 10 points, 73-63, on Feb. 2.

Wyoming senior forward Joseph Taylor was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week on Monday, March 3.

Taylor scored a career high 21 points in 27 minutes, grabbed nine rebounds, blocked two shots and made two steals, while shooting 80.0 percent (8 of 10) from the field and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line (5 of 7) in leading Wyoming to a 77-67 road win at archrival Colorado State last Wednesday. Taylor scored three of his eight field goals on dunks versus the Rams. His 21 points marked the first 20-point game of his two-year Wyoming career.

Taylor followed up that performance with a 12-point, six-rebound, two-block performance in Wyoming's 72-64 home victory over Utah last Saturday. Taylor also scored three of his baskets against Utah on dunks. He converted 55.6 percent of his field goals (5 of 9), including 50.0 percent from three (1 of 2) and was a perfect 1 of 1 from the free-throw line.

Prior to last week's two games, Taylor was averaging 6.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He exceeded all of those averages in Wyoming's two wins last week, averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 1.5 steals and 3.0 dunks per game. He also shot a combined 68.4 percent from the field for the week, 50.0 percent from three and 75.0 percent from the free-throw line.

The power forward spot for the Wyoming Cowboys has developed into a huge strength as the 2007-08 season has progressed. Senior Joseph Taylor and junior Tyson Johnson have combined to become a dynamic tandem at that position.

Never was the strength of UW's four spot more evident than in Wyoming's 72-64 victory over Utah on March 1. In that game, the two had near identical numbers. Each scored 12 points. Each grabbed six rebounds, each blocked two shots.

The two combined for 24 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks against the Utes.

When you combine the two's averages this season, they are averaging 13.9 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Following Wyoming's game at BYU Wednesday night, the Cowboys will have a bye this coming Saturday before entering the Mountain West Conference Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., next week. Seedings for the MWC Tournament will released after the completion of games Saturday night.