A Century of Cowboys: The History of Wyoming NCAA Basketball
The University of Wyoming men's basketball program boasts a rich history, dating back to its first recorded game in 1905. As a competitor in the Mountain West Conference, the program has experienced periods of dominance, including a national championship and multiple conference titles. From the early days of the "Laramie Town Team" to modern-day successes, Wyoming basketball has left an indelible mark on college basketball.
Early Years and the Rise to Prominence
The genesis of the Wyoming basketball program can be traced to 1904 when the "Laramie Town Team" challenged a team from the university. The university team emerged victorious with a score of 17-5. In the 1930s, under the guidance of coach Willard "Dutch" Witte, the team rose to prominence. In 1934, Witte led the Cowboy team to an impressive 26-3 record, and Wyoming was retroactively named the 1934 national champion by the Helms Foundation.
The Everett Shelton Era: A National Championship
Following Witte's departure in 1939, Everett Shelton took the reins and became the winningest coach in Wyoming history, with a tenure spanning 19 years in Laramie. Despite a rocky start of 6-10 in his first season, Shelton's teams would go on to achieve 20 or more wins seven times during his career.
The pinnacle of Shelton's tenure came in 1943 when the Cowboys achieved a remarkable 31-2 record and won the NCAA tournament. The team was led by Ken Sailors, who scored 16 points in the championship game victory over Georgetown and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Sailors also earned the distinction of being named college basketball's Player of the Year in both 1943 and 1946, the latter after returning from service in World War II. Sailors is also credited with pioneering the jump shot, now a fundamental aspect of basketball.
Post-Shelton Era and Resurgence Under Brandenburg
After Shelton's retirement in 1959, the Wyoming basketball program experienced a period of dormancy. The Cowboys endured nine consecutive losing seasons from 1956 to 1964, including Shelton's last four campaigns as head coach. Bill Strannigan, Shelton's successor, managed just six winning seasons in 14 years and made a single NCAA Tournament appearance in 1967. In that appearance, the Cowboys suffered a significant defeat against eventual national champion UCLA, led by All-American center Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).
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In 1978, Jim Brandenburg took over as the Cowboys' head coach, ushering in a resurgence for the program. During his nine seasons, Wyoming did not experience a single losing season and made four NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1981, the Cowboys achieved a 24-6 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. This marked the Cowboys' first tournament appearance since 1967, their first 20-win season since 1952-53, and their first NCAA tournament victory since 1952.
The Modern Era: Mountain West Conference and Beyond
Larry Shyatt's brief but impactful tenure in 1997-98 saw the Cowboys go 19-9 before he departed to become the head coach at Clemson University. Steve McClain followed, leading the team to three consecutive 20-win seasons from 2001 to 2003, including conference titles in 2001 and 2002 and an NCAA tournament appearance in 2002. Since the Mountain West was formed in 1999, Wyoming has won two conference titles, including an outright championship in 2002.
On March 22, 2007, Wyoming appointed former Portland State head coach Heath Schroyer as its next head coach. Later, Shyatt returned and in his first season back, the Cowboys went 21-12, marking their first 20-win season in 9 years. They participated in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) for the next three seasons, reaching the quarterfinals in 2012 and 2013.
In the 2014-15 season, the Cowboys finished with a 25-10 record and won the Mountain West Conference tournament over San Diego State with a score of 45-43, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Larry Nance Jr. was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 27th pick in the 2015 NBA draft, becoming Wyoming's first player selected in the draft since Theo Ratliff in 1995.
In Edwards' first season, the Cowboys went 23-15 and won the CBI tournament, defeating Coastal Carolina in the championship. Edwards again won 20 games in his second season. In 2019, Justin James was drafted 40th overall by the Sacramento Kings, becoming the second Cowboy in the decade to be taken in the NBA draft. On December 9, 2019, the program retired Fennis Dembo's no. In Linder's first season with the Cowboys, he led the team to a 14-11 year despite inheriting a team with only 6 conference wins the two seasons prior. This included a 6-1 non-conference record highlighted by a road win against eventual Elite Eight participant Oregon State. W. Lt. Harold I. John J.
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NCAA and CBI Tournament History
The Cowboys have made a total of 16 appearances in the NCAA tournament, with a combined record of 9-21. They have also appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) five times, with a combined record of 7-5.
Home Court Advantage
The Arena-Auditorium, with a seating capacity of 11,612, serves as the home court for the Cowboy basketball team. Before that, Wyoming's first home court was a small, red-brick building known as the "Little Red Gym." That was followed by the Half Acre Gym, which served as the Cowboys' home from 1925 to 1951. The Cowboys had a record of 222-44 in the Half Acre Gym.
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