CALGARY - The University of Calgary Dinos men’s basketball team will begin practices on August 29 in preparation for their games against the NCAA Division I University of Wyoming Cowboys on September 2 and 3 at 7:00 PM in the Red Gymnasium. The Dinos will practice each evening at 5:00 PM in the Red Gymnasium up to an including September 1.

Because of limited seating in the Red Gymnasium tickets are limited. To date 30% of tickets are sold, and Dinos Athletics is expecting capacity crowds both nights. Tickets are will be pre-sold at the Kinesiology Client Services Ticket Office for $10.00 per person with children under 12 being admitted for $5.00. Two-game packages are available at $16 for adults and $8 for children under 12. To purchase tickets, visit Kinesiology Client Services in KNA 101, call 220-DINO, or email tickets@ucalgary.ca.

The appearance by the Cowboys marks the first time in school history that an NCAA Division I men’s team will compete in Calgary against the Dinos in men’s basketball.

The Cowboys came within a single basket of making it the NCAA Tournament field of 65 teams in 2006 losing in overtime to San Diego State University. Wyoming plays in the Mountain West Conference and was a Finalist in their Conference tournament last year losing in overtime to San Diego State who garnered their Conference berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys finished with an overall record of 14 wins and 18 losses and had a Conference record of five wins and 11 losses.

Wyoming saved their best basketball for the end of the season upsetting Air Force Academy 57-55 and the University of Utah 60-47 in the opening two rounds of the Conference tournament before falling 69-64 in the Conference Final. Air Force and San Diego State both
qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Other teams that compete in the Mountain West Conference in men’s basketball are Brigham Young, Colorado State, University of New Mexico, and the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Key players for the Cowboys are sophomore point guard Brandon Ewing from Chicago and his backcourt partner Brad Jones, who could be one of the top backcourt tandems in Conference. Ewing was one of the top freshmen point guards in NCAA Division I basketball last year.
Another solid player is sophomore Bienvenu Songondo at 6’10” forward from the Central African Republic.

The Dinos also received a ruling from the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Office stating that “redshirt” Henry Bekkering is not eligible to compete in the game due to his transfer status from
Eastern Washington University.

- Jack Neumann
Dinos Sports Information