Boise State men's basketball: More-focused Okoye ready for Wyoming

Ike Okoye played the game of his life the last time he faced Wyoming - his former team.

Okoye logged the only double-double of his Boise State career in an 86-85 win over the Cowboys last season. He finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots.

"I hope he can play as well as he did last year," said Boise State coach Greg Graham, whose team plays at Wyoming on Saturday.

It's Okoye's first trip back to Laramie since he transferred after the 2006-07 season. Many things have changed since then, including the Cowboys' coaching staff and roster. Only forward Ryan Dermody remains on the Wyoming (1-1) roster from Okoye's two-year tenure.

"Last year was the revenge factor," Okoye said. "This year it's more of a game. I don't know anyone on this team except Ryan. We've talked. It's not really a rivalry anymore per se."

But as good as Okoye was against Wyoming last season, he was as bad in numerous other games. He finished the season averaging 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds, but he had 13 games where he scored six or fewer points and 12 games where he had four or fewer rebounds.

That inconsistency drove coaches crazy and he became like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get.

This year, Okoye has been steadier for the Broncos (2-1). He averages 13 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

"He has been pretty consistent and is playing really well right now," Graham said.

The eighth-year coach attributes Okoye's play to familiarity with the system and a full year of action after sitting out the 2007-08 season as a transfer. He also said Okoye is mentally stronger.

"He has done a much better job of staying focused on what he's doing versus him getting caught up with what's going on around the game - whether it's talking or trying to do too much instead of just doing his job," Graham said.

You'll get no argument from Okoye. In fact, he will be the first to tell you that he wasn't ready for every game last season.

"I'm a senior - I need to play hard," he said. "Last year, I felt I had a year left and that was a bad mentality to have. This year, I'm trying to focus on how this is my last year and I need to play hard every game."

That's not to say Okoye didn't try in some games. What it means is that he was focused, or "locked in" as Boise State coaches like to say, only in games he deemed big.

"I talked to family members and they said 'You can't be wasting years and you've got to play hard every game like it's your last,'" Okoye said. "Last year I didn't feel like I was doing that. This year, I tried to work out every day during the summer and I feel like I'm ready for this season. I'm taking no days off."

Okoye, who made the WAC's all-defensive team last season, has noticeably improved his offense. He's taking and making more midrange shots and still has been a beast around the bucket. He spent a lot of time this summer working on his shot.

"More confidence is what I needed," Okoye said. "I didn't have confidence in my jumper. I had it in high school but I lost it in Laramie, and I'm trying to get it back."

Nick Jezierny: 377-6420