Jeff Linder Won't be on the Sidelines Tonight Against Utah State

LARAMIE -- Wyoming's Jeff Linder will not coach tonight against visiting Utah State, the school announced Tuesday afternoon. The Cowboys' third-year head coach is in Colorado tending to his ill father.

Ken DeWeese, who has been a part of Linder's staff in Laramie and at Northern Colorado over the previous seven seasons, will be the acting head coach against the Aggies.

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That, of course, is nothing new.

With 15:50 remaining in the first half of last season's tilt with the Aggies inside the Arena-Auditorium, Linder was ejected after arguing a blocking foul on Brendan Wenzel under the hoop. DeWeese stepped in and the Cowboys erased a 10-point second-half deficit and eventually held on for a 78-76 victory in overtime.

DeWeese also filled in for Linder after a late-season ejection in 2021. Wyoming again pulled off an overtime win, knocking off New Mexico 83-74 inside Clune Arena in Colorado Springs.

DeWeese was in charge of scouting Utah State this week, according to the school's press release.

MORE UW HOOPS NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:

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* Jeff Linder said he is no longer coaching effort, calls it 'liberating'

* PODCAST: Pokes burst Lobos' bubble in ABQ

Adversity has been the theme in 2022-23 for this current Wyoming basketball program.

The preseason Mountain West Player of the Year, Graham Ike, suffered what would become a season-ending foot injury just before the campaign tipped off in early November. A rash of injuries sidelined Hunter Maldonado, Hunter Thompson (illness), Jeremiah Oden, Kenny Foster and Brendan Wenzel throughout. Noah Reynolds, who emerged as the team's leading scorer in Ike's absence, was shut down for the season after suffering his third concussion in six months in a road loss at San Jose State.

A trio of offseason additions from the Pac-12 Conference -- Ethan Anderson, Max Agbonkpolo and Jake Kyman -- all abruptly left the program on Feb. 7, less than 24 hours before the Cowboys hosted UNLV.

Wyoming has used 16 different starting lineups this season. That is the most in the nation. Only Xavier DuSell has appeared in all 26 games.

The misfortune hasn't just been limited to the guys on the floor, either.

Assistant coaches Shaun Vandiver (surgery, death in the family), Marc Rodgers (pre-op for surgery) and Sundance Wicks (death in the family) have also missed time this season.

The Cowboys (8-18, 3-11) and Aggies (21-7, 10-5) are set to tipoff tonight at 7 p.m. inside the Arena-Auditorium. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

During the summer of 2021, 7220Sports.com counted down the Top 50 football players in University of Wyoming history, presented by Premier Bone & Joint Centers, Worthy of Wyoming.

The rules are simple: What was the player's impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.

This isn't a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220's Cody Tucker are Robert Gagliardi, Jared Newland, Ryan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.

We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS -- only we hope this catalog is fairer.

Don't agree with a selection? Feel free to sound off on our Twitter: @7220sports - #Top50UWFB

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players