Wyoming center Daaron Brown will look to make his lasting memory of the Arena-Auditorium a positive - and injury-free - one when the Cowboys host New Mexico in the regular season finale for both schools today.

Brown, the Cowboys' lone senior, aggravated a back injury in a home loss to Utah last season and missed Wyoming's final 11 games. This season, Brown missed six games due to a sprained ankle he suffered late in a home win over Colorado State on Jan. 24.

"It's been frustrating for him," Wyoming head coach Steve McClain said. "Every time you kind of feel like he was in a rhythm, something bad would happen. He knows, like everybody knows, it affects the whole team. Hopefully he can have a great senior day."

McClain said the injuries especially affected Brown's conditioning and prevented him from fully realizing his potential after transferring from Compton (Calif.) Community College before his junior season.

"When you miss five games, especially when you're in a boot, your conditioning goes," McClain said.

Still, Brown has averaged 9.6 points and seven rebounds this season. The Cowboys (15-14, 6-9 Mountain West Conference) might need an especially big day from Brown today, with second-leading scorer Brad Jones serving a suspension for his part in an altercation at New Mexico on Jan. 30. Wyoming's Joseph Taylor, as well as the Lobos' Darren Prentice and Jamaal Smith, are also suspended for today's game.

"I'll see if I can call someone up for a 10-day (contract)," New Mexico head coach Ritchie McKay quipped. "When they have all their pieces, they're a good team."

McClain, who said Eric Platt will start in place of Jones, was issued a public reprimand by the Mountain West Conference for comments he made following Wednesday's loss at TCU. McClain referred to the layup that TCU senior guard Neil Dougherty scored with 21 seconds remaining and the game well out of reach as "classless."

Wyoming guard Brandon Ewing said the incident served to fire up both McClain and the team heading into the MWC tournament, which begins with Tuesday's play-in game. The Cowboys, who could wind up with the fifth, sixth or seventh seed, will play their first game on Thursday.

Contact sports reporter Scott Allen at (307) 266-0528 or scott.allen@casperstartribune.net

COWBOYS TRACKER

TODAY: New Mexico at Wyoming, Arena-Auditorium, Laramie, 1 p.m.

RECORDS: Lobos (15-15, 4-11 Mountain West Conference); Cowboys (15-14, 6-9 MWC).

TV: the mtn.

RADIO: Cowboy Sports Network, KTWO 1030 AM Casper, check local listings.

UP NEXT: Wyoming travels to the MWC tournament in Las Vegas. The Cowboys play their first game on Thursday, but their opponent and the time of the game remains to be determined.

ONLINE: Follow today's game with CST Pokescast at www.casperstartribune.net/uwbball.