The Wyoming Cowboys have already gone on the road.
At least, that's what head coach Larry Shyatt keeps telling his team. Five weeks ago, they took a bus trip to Salt Lake City, slept in a hotel and played in a foreign gym with another conference's referees.
Wyoming's preseason scrimmage at Utah, in fact, met all of the criteria of a true road game, except one:
The fans.
Shyatt's Cowboys will experience those in full force on Friday night.
"We wanted to get on the road," Shyatt said of the scrimmage at Utah. "We wanted to play with Pac-12 officials. We wanted to get into a hotel.
"We wanted to give them the experience, especially those five freshmen, of what it?s like. We?ll get a taste of that Friday night I?m sure, because I don?t think they play without too many sold-out crowds.?
"They," in this case, are the SMU Mustangs, who will host Wyoming inside Moody Coliseum after defeating the Cowboys 62-54 at the Arena-Auditorium last season.
Since the "Dome of Doom" was renovated, the Cowboys have yet to lose under its roof, starting the 2014-15 season with seven consecutive victories.
And during that stretch, Wyoming's bench has shined. Shyatt's substitutions, who have dubbed themselves "the energy guys," have provided more than just sheer enthusiasm throughout the winning streak. The reinforcements are averaging 22.9 points per game this season, while contributing valuable minutes and keeping the starters fresh for late-game situations.
But how will so many first-time players react to a hostile crowd?
Will redshirt freshman forward Alan Herndon shy away from the spotlight? How about freshman guard Alexander Aka Gorski?
Aka Gorski -- a 6-foot-5 native of Lund, Sweden -- said that he had never played in front of more than 3,000-4,000 people prior to arriving at Wyoming.
And yet, he doesn't expect 8,998 booing voices to faze him.
?I feel like when you?re on the court you just block everything out," Aka Gorski said with a shrug. "It?s five against five. It?s just like practice.?
Herndon, too, relishes the challenge. After spending last season redshirting, watching his teammates play from the far end of the bench, the 6-10 forward has had to adjust to an increased role.
Seven games later, he's starting to find his form.
?I definitely feel comfortable," Herndon said. "The first game, I had the butterflies and everything. Now, every game I?m just ready to play. I?m just blessed to have this opportunity.
"Now, I just love playing. The nerves are gone. It?s just, where?s the next competition? Where?s the next battle going to come from??
Wyoming will need its bench on Friday night, when it meets an SMU team that is both experienced and talented. Head coach Larry Brown's team is only 4-3, but two of those defeats have come at the hands of ranked opponents -- Gonzaga and Arkansas. And last season, the Mustangs' subs outscored Wyoming's bench 32-13 in a convincing road victory.
But as the Cowboys' veterans have repeatedly stated, this is not last year's team. Shyatt's current group is deeper and more balanced.
The only test they haven't passed, thus far, is a true road test.
And no, scrimmages don't count.
?We just have to experience what the crowd is like," Herndon said. "I think once we get our jitters out, we?ll settle down and be fine.?
Senior guard Charles Hankerson Jr., for one, isn't worried about how his less-experienced teammates will handle an unfriendly atmosphere. He believes in Aka Gorski, Herndon and freshman point guard Jeremy Lieberman. He believes in center Matt Sellers and guard Jason McManamen, too.
Hankerson's reasoning is simple.
?I feel like, honestly, this group is just special."
At least, that's what head coach Larry Shyatt keeps telling his team. Five weeks ago, they took a bus trip to Salt Lake City, slept in a hotel and played in a foreign gym with another conference's referees.
Wyoming's preseason scrimmage at Utah, in fact, met all of the criteria of a true road game, except one:
The fans.
Shyatt's Cowboys will experience those in full force on Friday night.
"We wanted to get on the road," Shyatt said of the scrimmage at Utah. "We wanted to play with Pac-12 officials. We wanted to get into a hotel.
"We wanted to give them the experience, especially those five freshmen, of what it?s like. We?ll get a taste of that Friday night I?m sure, because I don?t think they play without too many sold-out crowds.?
"They," in this case, are the SMU Mustangs, who will host Wyoming inside Moody Coliseum after defeating the Cowboys 62-54 at the Arena-Auditorium last season.
Since the "Dome of Doom" was renovated, the Cowboys have yet to lose under its roof, starting the 2014-15 season with seven consecutive victories.
And during that stretch, Wyoming's bench has shined. Shyatt's substitutions, who have dubbed themselves "the energy guys," have provided more than just sheer enthusiasm throughout the winning streak. The reinforcements are averaging 22.9 points per game this season, while contributing valuable minutes and keeping the starters fresh for late-game situations.
But how will so many first-time players react to a hostile crowd?
Will redshirt freshman forward Alan Herndon shy away from the spotlight? How about freshman guard Alexander Aka Gorski?
Aka Gorski -- a 6-foot-5 native of Lund, Sweden -- said that he had never played in front of more than 3,000-4,000 people prior to arriving at Wyoming.
And yet, he doesn't expect 8,998 booing voices to faze him.
?I feel like when you?re on the court you just block everything out," Aka Gorski said with a shrug. "It?s five against five. It?s just like practice.?
Herndon, too, relishes the challenge. After spending last season redshirting, watching his teammates play from the far end of the bench, the 6-10 forward has had to adjust to an increased role.
Seven games later, he's starting to find his form.
?I definitely feel comfortable," Herndon said. "The first game, I had the butterflies and everything. Now, every game I?m just ready to play. I?m just blessed to have this opportunity.
"Now, I just love playing. The nerves are gone. It?s just, where?s the next competition? Where?s the next battle going to come from??
Wyoming will need its bench on Friday night, when it meets an SMU team that is both experienced and talented. Head coach Larry Brown's team is only 4-3, but two of those defeats have come at the hands of ranked opponents -- Gonzaga and Arkansas. And last season, the Mustangs' subs outscored Wyoming's bench 32-13 in a convincing road victory.
But as the Cowboys' veterans have repeatedly stated, this is not last year's team. Shyatt's current group is deeper and more balanced.
The only test they haven't passed, thus far, is a true road test.
And no, scrimmages don't count.
?We just have to experience what the crowd is like," Herndon said. "I think once we get our jitters out, we?ll settle down and be fine.?
Senior guard Charles Hankerson Jr., for one, isn't worried about how his less-experienced teammates will handle an unfriendly atmosphere. He believes in Aka Gorski, Herndon and freshman point guard Jeremy Lieberman. He believes in center Matt Sellers and guard Jason McManamen, too.
Hankerson's reasoning is simple.
?I feel like, honestly, this group is just special."
