The Marcus Dawson Story

[coachdubs]

March 12, 2023
8:33 PM
Dawson Residence--Laramie, Wyoming

Sarah and Marcus sit in their living room, the TV still glowing as the national media discussed the newly released NCAA Tournament brackets and picked their key matchups and likeliest upsets, none of which Wyoming was part of, which Marcus was thankful for. The room was filled with a mix of excitement and nervous energy.

Sarah: Can you believe it, Marcus? This is huge!!

Marcus: It's surreal, Sarah. Just think a year ago we were still living in Montana and had just finished our season, then I got the phone call that changed our lives. Here we are in Laramie and headed to the Big Dance as a 4-seed in the Phoenix Regional. None of this makes sense, but I'm loving the ride.

[As they exchange smiles and continue to discuss the upcoming tournament, Marcus' phone rings, flashing Mark Few's name on the screen.]

Marcus: Mark Few? That's unexpected. I should answer this. Hey, Mark, what's up my friend?

Mark Few: Marcus, I just wanted to call and congratulate you and your team on getting selected to play in the tournament. Pretty cool that we're both in the same region.

Marcus: Thanks, Mark. Yeah, we're excited about the opportunity. Congratulations to you as well, although this is something that you're pretty used to by now, I suppose?

Mark Few: [chuckles] Maybe, but each year is special with a new team and new challenges, it certainly never gets old. I've learned to enjoy each one for what it is, a new opportunity to make a difference in the lives of each of the young men on our team.

Marcus: Thankfully we're on opposite sides of the bracket and we won't have to meet up until the regional final, wouldn't that be something?

Mark Few: That would be something, but there's a lot of basketball to play between now and then. Anyway, I just wanted to call and congratulate you, you've done an amazing job with the Cowboys, keep up the good work.

Marcus: Thank you, Mark, I really appreciate it. Congratulations and good luck to you in the tournament, we'll talk later.

Sarah: What was that all about?

Marcus: Mark wanted to call and congratulate us on getting invited to the tournament and said he's impressed with what we've been able to accomplish this season.

Sarah: That's so nice of him, he's such a sweet guy and a crazy good basketball coach.

Marcus: Yeah, he's a great guy. Glad that I had the chance to play for him, even if it was for just a little while. We're in the same region as us, so if we cross paths, it will be quite the game.

Sarah: That's something! Well, it's going to be an exciting tournament, no doubt

[The share a smile, brimming with anticipation for the upcoming games, feeling the energy of the tournament season.]

[coachdubs]

Tuesday, March 14, 2023
The Arena-Auditorium--Laramie, Wyoming
Sendoff rally for the Wyoming Cowboys to Tulsa for the NCAA Phoenix Regional

The Arena-Auditorium is alive with vibrant energy, decorated with the brown and yellow of the Cowboys, with the echoing sounds of excited chatter and laughter. The space is adorned with banners celebrating the past seasons of excellence in Laramie and the former greats to play in Laramie like Kenny Sailor, Fennis Dembo, Eric Leckner, Marcus Bailey, Josh Davis, Larry Nance Jr., and the like.

AD Emily Thompson: (stepping to the podium, her voice carrying through the buzzing crowd) Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here this evening! What a fantastic occasion we have as we bid farewell and good luck to our remarkable Cowboys as they embark on their journey to the NCAA tournament. It was about a year ago that we decided we needed to make a coaching change. [crowd erupts in cheers] We tabbed our man and he's done an incredible job and exceeded even my wildest dreams! Please welcome head coach Marcus Dawson!

Marcus Dawson: (taking the stage, his presence commanding attention, with the crowd getting whipped up into a frenzy) Thank you, Emily. It's an honor to stand here and represent this incredible team. We've put in the work, and now it's time to show the nation that our guys are Cowboy Tough! But remember, we're not just representing ourselves, we're representing the University of Wyoming and the great state of Wyoming!
I'd like to introduce one of our key players this season and our team captain, Marius Baxter.

Marius Baxter: (joining Coach Dawson, his voice deep and confident) Thank you, Coach. This team is ready. We've fought hard all season to get here and we're not done yet. This is our time, our moment! We're going to leave it all on the floor as we have all season! We've got each other's backs and we've got the best fans in the country behind us!

[As the speeches wrap up, the cheerleaders rally the crowd, leading them in spirited chants and cheers and then the Cowboy Marching Band led the crowd playing a fantastic rendition of Ragtime Cowboy Joe.]

[coachdubs]

March 18, 2023
Cowboys Outlast Portland State in NCAA Tournament First Round Game 76-69

Tulsa, Oklahoma-- The #19 Wyoming Cowboys, the 4-seed in the Phoenix Regional, entered the NCAA Tournament with anticipation, their hopes set high and determination etched on their faces. As they clashed against Portland State on Thursday afternoon in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the stakes were high, as were the emotions, and the court sizzled with intensity.
Portland State charged into the game, showcasing their skills, and seizing an early lead. Their sharp offense and solid defense challenged the Cowboys, putting them back on their heels for much of the first half. Wyoming, undeterred, rallied and closed the first half with a surge, turning a deficit into a hard-fought lead.
The locker room buzzed with Coach Dawson's rallying speech at half-time, igniting a fire within his team. The second half saw the Cowboys lead the entire way, but Portland State kept it close and even cut the lead to one point on a John Taylor three-pointer late in the second half. The Cowboys returned the fire as Paul Rivers and Clifton Tahid each had buckets on back-to-back possessions to push their lead back to five.
Robinson McFall, the Cowboys super-sub played 16 inspired minutes scoring 16 points ripping down 10 rebounds dishing out three assists, and blocking two of the Cowboys' ten blocked shots in the game. "Robinson has been doing that for us all season long, he knows his role and he plays it to perfection more often than not," commented Coach Marcus Dawson after the game.
Dawson praised Portland State and their gameplan and tenacity. "They're a well-coached team and they played a heck of a game. They aren't a 13-seed, we're fortunate to have escaped with a win today, it could've easily gone the other way. We just made a few more plays than they did. That's what this time of year is all about though, it doesn't matter how it happens, just survive and advance; that's what we did.
On a side note, the Mountain West Conference, who sent four teams to the Big Dance, are 4-0 after the first round of the tournament with San Diego State, Utah State, Boise State, and Wyoming all moving on to the weekend after opening round wins.

[coachdubs]

March 19, 2023
#21 Ohio State Throttles #19 Wyoming in NCAA Tournament

Tulsa, Oklahoma-- The Wyoming Cowboys were outmatched on Sunday afternoon in Tulsa as the 5-seed Buckeyes outplayed the 4-seed Cowboys in every facet of the game. Only seven minutes into the game and it appeared to be over as Ohio State had built a 24-5 lead and never looked back. Led by Rasheed Benoit with 25 points, Ohio State held Wyoming to 26% shooting from the field and an abysmal 13% from beyond the arc. "I don't know if I've ever had a team shoot so poorly in a game before, and that includes going back to coaching JV basketball in Montana," commented Coach Marcus Dawson on his team's struggle to score. Wyoming trailed 57-32 and could never get anything going offensively and couldn't get stops on the defensive side as Ohio State shot 52% from the field and 42% from deep.
"You have to give Ohio State credit, they shot lights out tonight and we struggled. That happens sometimes, unfortunately for us, it happened in the NCAA Tournament. It was a great ride for our guys and I promise we'll be back, our guys are going to be hungry."
The Cowboys finish their first season under Coach Marcus Dawson exceeding all expectations with a 28-7 record, a regular season MWC championship, a first-round win in the NCAA tournament, and a #19 ranking nationally. A very impressive season for Dawson and his Cowboys. It will be interesting to see what he's able to accomplish once he gets "his" players to Laramie. Although to Dawson's credit, he said the players on this first team were "his players."

[coachdubs]

A view from the outside--> End of the season
What a whirlwind of a year it has been for the Dawson family. From losing in the Montana Class A State Championship game to a life-changing phone call from Emily Thompson, the Athletic Director at the University of Wyoming, to a family move from Hamilton, Montana to Laramie, Wyoming, to an impressive 2022-23 basketball campaign.
Marcus Dawson won more than half as many games in his rookie season than Benjamin Davis won in his five-year tenure in Laramie. Wyoming finished the season 28-7 and were the regular season Mountain West Conference champions.
Sarah transitioned nicely to her new job in the Laramie School District and is at the end of her first full school year. Sarah and the kids love going to watch the Cowboy games live at the Arena Auditorium and are finishing their first school year in Laramie. Both Lily and Jake have adjusted well to their new surroundings. Jake loves being at Cowboy practices whenever he can and always brings one of his buddies. Lily loves to watch game film with Marcus and help scout the other team, she is going to be a coach like her dad one day.

[coachdubs]

April 5, 2023
End of Season Meeting With AD Emily Thompson
University of Wyoming Athletic Department

Emily Thompson: Marcus, thank you for taking the time to meet. Let's reflect on the season. Overall, it's been quite a journey, hasn't it?

Marcus Dawson: Absolutely, Emily. It's been a wild ride. If you had told me a year ago this where we'd be now, I would've told you, you were crazy.

Both Emily and Marcus chuckled at that.

Emily: I had a feeling you were the right man for the job, but you completely exceeded my expectations. At the beginning of the season, we discussed our goals: finish in the top half of the conference, finish above .500, and improve our school's prestige from 33/100. Comparing those goals to the accomplishments are impressive, we finished with a 28-8 record, won the regular season conference title, and improved the school's prestige from 33 to 38/100.

Marcus: It's beyond what we aimed for at the beginning, and it's a testament to the hard work of the team. We showed up when it mattered most.

Emily: Absolutely. Winning the regular season Mountain West Conference title was a remarkable achievement, not to mention the success in the NCAA Tournament, clinching a victory in the opening round.

Marcus: The team stepped up, and exceeded expectations. The loss to Ohio State in the second round was a tough pill to swallow, I still haven't watched the game film from that game, and I'm not sure I ever will.

Emily: Comparing these results to our initial goals, we've clearly surpassed them. The team's performance has significantly elevated our standing in the conference and nationally.

Marcus: Yes, and the support from the university, the fans, the entire state, and the administration has been crucial. It's been a collective effort.

Emily: Our success this season brought attention and raised the profile of our program. The increase in school prestige has been helpful for fundraising and national exposure will help in fundraising in the future as well as on the recruiting front.

Marcus: It's a reflection of the dedication and commitment shown by everyone involved in the program, on and off the court.

Emily: Moving forward, this success sets a strong foundation. It's an exciting time for Wyoming basketball.

Marcus: Absolutely, Emily. We've set a high standard, and the team is motivated to build on this success in the coming seasons.

Emily: The future looks promising. Congratulations, Marcus, and to the entire team on an outstanding season.

Marcus: Thank you, Emily. We're just getting started.

Emily: Let's continue this upward trajectory. Good luck on the recruiting trail. Get out of here and go spend some time with your family. You've earned it.

Marcus: Sounds good. Thanks again.

[coachdubs]

April 9, 2023
Mountain West Conference Releases All-Conference Awards

Las Vegas, Nevada-- In a remarkable season for the Wyoming Cowboys, Head Coach Marcus Dawson has been named the Mountain West Coach of the Year. The honor comes as a recognition of his exceptional leadership that propelled the Cowboys to a 28-7 record and 14-4 in the conference and the regular season conference championship.
Despite the team's outstanding performance and clinching the top spot in the conference, no Wyoming players received individual recognition in the All-Conference awards. Coach Dawson expressed mixed sentiments regarding the oversight. "While I'm honored to receive this award, it's a little disappointing that our players didn't receive the recognition they deserved. They've shown incredible dedication and skill throughout the season. But when we look at how we play and their mentality, to a man, they would all say they don't care about the individual accolades; they only cared about each other and about winning games."
Dawson further remarked, "Marius, Clifton, Sean, as well as Robinson, all played pivotal roles in our success. I felt like any one of them would have been deserving of a spot on the all-conference teams. Not being acknowledged in the all-conference voting doesn't diminish their contributions to our team's achievement. It also speaks to the amazing talent and teams in our conference--we have some outstanding teams and players."
The honor serves as a testament to Coach Dawson's adeptness in guiding his team to a stellar season despite the lack of individual accolades for his players.
"Individual awards aside, my focus, our focus remains on the team and the bigger picture. We're determined to build on this season's success and continue to strive for excellence."

[coachdubs]

End of Season Notes:
Wyoming 28-7 (14-4) Regular-Season Conference Champions
Marcus Dawson--Mountain West Coach of the Year
Alabama defeated Oklahoma State in the national championship game 92-67
Clemson won the NIT tournament defeating North Carolina State 84-80

Recruiting Front
Wyoming #3 class in the Mountain West Conference behind San Diego State and Colorado State. #57 class nationally.
Two 3-Star Recruits and two 2-Star Recruits
C--James Mills 3-Star #240 WSSN--> Wyoming
PF--Perry Bryant 3-Star #342 WSSN--> Idaho
SG--Rod Tarver 2-Star #544 WSSN-->Idaho
PG--Justin Clark 2-Star #661 WSSN--> Idaho

Stat Leaders
Marius Baxter 12.8 ppg (12th MWC) 5.2 rpg (21st MWC) .396 FG% (21st MWC) .384 3pt% (12th MWC)
Sean Esherick 12.7 ppg (13th MWC) 3.0 apg (20th MWC) 2.2 spg (2nd MWC) .431 FG% (16th MWC) .417 3pt% (5th MWC)
Clifton Tahid 11.7 ppg (21st MWC) .836 FT% (3rd MWC)
Brendan Moody 4.8 apg (5th MWC) 1.4 spg (15th MWC)
Germaine Fields 3.2 apg (17th MWC)
Paul Rivers 6.8 rpg (12th MWC) 1.6 bpg (4th MWC) .859 FT% (1st MWC)

[coachdubs]

May 1, 2023
The final recruiting class rankings have been released and Wyoming ended up a bit better than before running the end-of-season simulation. Wyoming finished at #55 nationally, significantly better than under the previous head coach.
Vermont moved to the Big East during conference movement.
Wyoming will have the same budget as last year and we're going to try and toughen up the non-conference schedule but still try to get home contests.
We also have 2 open scholarships before moving onto to the transfer portal.

[coachdubs]

May 29, 2023
Transfer Portal
Laramie, Wyoming--
Marcus walks in the front door of the house after parking his truck in the garage. Mentally exhausted from a long day on the phone and having meetings with players, he plopped himself down in his favorite chair slipped his loafers off reclined, and closed his eyes for a moment letting out a deep sigh.

Sarah: Hey, Babe. Everything all right? I expected you home a couple of hours ago.

Marcus: Well, things aren't ideal, but they're all right I guess. Had a long day on the phone and talking to players. Remember the guys we were discussing the other day, Bright, Dunlop, Billet, and Robinson?

Sarah: Yeah, you mentioned they were all considering leaving via the transfer portal. Don't tell me you lost all of them.

Marcus: Unfortunately, yeah, we lost them all. It's quite a blow to the team losing that depth, but I understand their desire for more playing time. I felt all four of them made great strides this last season and with another off-season in our program I thought they all would be contributors next season. Especially Billet, he showed flashes every now and again last season.

Sarah: I know it's tough, but this could be an opportunity for some new talent to join the team.

Marcus: True, it does open up spots, but I'll miss having those guys around. They were all good for our team and culture.

Sarah: It's a shame, but it might turn out to be a positive in the long run. It'll just take some time to find the right fits.

Marcus: Yeah, we'll hit the transfer portal and see if we can bring some talent in that meshes will with our existing players.

Sarah: Keep your head up, Babe. I know you'll make the best choices for the team. Now go get cleaned up and I'll get you some dinner. (bent down and kissed him on the forehead)

Marcus: Sounds good.

Wyoming and Marcus Dawson have four scholarships available to use in the transfer portal.