Cowboy Basketball Player Paco Cruz Competes in World University Games

Preparations for his senior season of basketball at the University of Wyoming took on a whole new look when Francisco "Paco" Cruz was one of 12 players selected to be on Mexico's team for the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China. Three games into the games, Mexico has a 2-1 record and Cruz is averaging 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

Those number are above what Cruz has averaged as a Cowboy. During the 2010-11 season, Cruz averaged 10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists a game for the University of Wyoming.

In all three of Mexico's games, Cruz has been a starter and has seen over 28 minutes a game. Mexico's first game was a 108-67 loss to the U.S. on Saturday, in which Cruz went 5-of-13 from the field for 11 points, four rebounds and two assists. The next day Mexico got a 107-96 win over South Korea. Cruz contributed six assists, seven points and four rebounds. On Monday, Mexico beat Israel, 77-72, and saw Cruz put up 15 points, eight rebounds and four steals.

The next game for the Mexican team will be on Wednesday against Hungary and then they will finish preliminary play versus Finland on Thursday.

Cruz is a native of Nogales, Mexico and made the team from a pool of 60 who tried out in June. The World University Games are organized by the International University Sports Federation and are held every other year. The games are open to men and women between the ages of 17 and 24, who have been a college student within the past year.