Wyoming's Wright had
differences with A.D.

By Mike Fitzgerald
Star-Bulletin

LAS VEGAS -- Family considerations and a shaky relationship with athletic director Lee Moon -- along with a disappointing season -- are reportedly behind the resignation of Wyoming head coach Joby Wright.

A story in the Las Vegas Sun yesterday said that Moon, who became athletic director last July, wanted to hire his own coach and that Moon and Wright had clashed on several occasions.

The Sun also reported that Wright's wife, Cathy, was having health problems due to living in the high altitude of Laramie.

"Joby and I discussed the situation at great length and determined that a change would be in the best interest of all parties," Moon said yesterday in a prepared statement. "This has been a very tough year on him, not only this season, but with his family as well."

Wright's best season was his first one at Wyoming, when the Cowboys finished at 14-14 in 1993-94. His overall record at Wyoming is 53-60, following the Cowboys' season-ending loss to TCU yesterday in the opening round of the WAC tournament.

"Through my time here I really got to know the people of Wyoming," Wright said. "I have a great deal of respect for them. We worked very hard to put together a program to reflect that respect."

SUPER SOPHS

Fresno State sophomore guard Chris Herren, who scored a career-high 35 points at Hawaii last Thursday and followed it up with another 35-point performance at San Diego State on Saturday, was named Pacific Division player of the week.

Another sophomore, Tulsa forward Michael Ruffin, was Mountain Division player of the week.

Ruffin averaged 19.5 points and 15 rebounds in victories over Texas Christian and Southern Methodist last week.

HAWK HANDICAP

There is no legal betting allowed on the WAC tournament games this week, but Las Vegas Review-Journal beat writer Joe Hawk posted these odds in his column yesterday: Utah (3-5), New Mexico (15-1), Fresno State (20-1), Tulsa (25-1), UNLV (50-1), Hawaii (60-1), TCU (75-1), Colorado State (100-1), Wyoming (200-1), San Jose State (250-1), SMU (400-1) and Rice (500-1).

Hawk on the Rainbows: "To get to the finals Hawaii most likely has to beat New Mexico and Utah. So much for the benefit of finishing second in the Pacific Division."

MOST IMPROVED

Hawaii tied with Long Island for the fifth most-improved team in the nation for the regular season, going from 10-18 last year to 20-6 (plus 10).

UNLV was tied for sixth, jumping from 10-16 to 19-8 (plus nine). SMU was 12th, going from from 8-20 to 15-11 (plus seven).

The most-improved team was Northern Arizona, which went from 6-20 to 21-5 (plus 15).

THE BEE BUZZ

Several Rainbows were cited in an informal media poll taken by the Fresno Bee.

Riley Wallace was named Pacific Division coach of the year; Anthony Carter was Pacific player of the year and Pacific newcomer of the year, along with being named to the Pacific all-defensive team.

Micah Kroeger was voted the Pacific Division's most unsung player.

TOURNEY TITLES

Ironically, Texas-El Paso -- which didn't make the cut for this year's tournament, has the most WAC tourney titles with four since the event started in 1984. The others are: BYU, New Mexico and Wyoming with two apiece, and Hawaii, San Diego State and Utah one each.

New Mexico won last year's WAC tournament on its home floor.