Dec. 9, 1999

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming men’s basketball team is expected to make an announcement today concerning the future of junior center Ugo Udezue.

The 6-foot-9 Udezue, the team’s top returning scorer from last year (20.5 points), has been hampered over the first three weeks of the season with complications from summer knee surgery. He was a preseason all-Mountain West Conference first-team pick.

Udezue underwent what was termed a minor arthroscopic procedure to clean up particles in his left knee-cap area. The surgery was performed by Gem City Bone and Joint in Laramie.

He was expected to be fully recovered by the time practice began on Oct. 15 but had persistent pain throughout the preseason drills.

Udezue started and played in UW’s first five games, averaging just under 10 points. But after three games in three days at the Hawaii-Pacific tournament, it was determined that he would need additional rest and rehabilitation.

He has sat out the last two games – wins over Nevada and Mount St. Mary’s.

UW and Udezue have a couple of options available to them:

They can redshirt the junior, leaving him with two years of eligibility remaining.

Udezue can undergo additional minor surgery with the hope of rehabilitating the knee in six to eight weeks. That would bring him back by late January or early February. The MWC season for the Pokes begins on Jan. 13.

Following Saturday’s game with Nevada, UW coach Steve McClain issued a statement saying neither he nor the team would comment on Udezue’s situation.

UW next game will be at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in Casper against Montana State as part of the Wyoming Shootout.