Former Wyoming coach Steve McClain reacts during the second half of a game against Air Force during the 2007 Mountain West tournament. Wyoming won 67-62.

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Mark Allan Peterson
Managing Editor
editor@big12hoops.com 

Former Wyoming head coach Steve McLain, the current Associate Head Coach at Colorado, will coach the Buffs tonight against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The game starts at 7 p.m. CST at the Coors Events Center.

Jeff Bzdelik will at least miss tonight's season opener after the Colorado coach was called out of town early this morning due to an undisclosed family emergency.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Jeff and his family," CU athletic director Mike Bohn said.  "We are fortunate to have a veteran former head coach with a great deal of experience and previous success like Steve McClain to lead our team while Jeff is out of town."

It's not known at this time if Bzdelik will be able to return in time for CU’s next game Monday against Coppin State.

McClain, the former University of Wyoming head coach from 1998-2007, brings over 27 years of coaching experience to the CU bench. He averaged 18 victories in nine years at Wyoming and led the team to post-season births in four of his first five seasons, three NIT bids and one trip to the NCAA Tournament.