second tier sports (let's face it everything takes a back seat to football) often struggle at major universities, because they are never in the spotlight. A school like UVU, where basketball IS the premier sport, can put a much greater emphasis on those players. They are the top dogs at UVU.

This feels to me kind of like the "Gonzaga Model." And before you start flaming me that UVU can't hold a candle to Gonzaga, I recognize that UVU is not in the same class, but, with no football team and no plans to establish one, does their focus put them in a better position to aspire towards it, thus attracting players of a higher caliber? Pope did this while at UVU as well, and yes, I did hear it from him personally when he was HC there. He focused on trying to give former blue-chip players who had struggled at other major universities a second chance, and did a pretty good job of it.

Madsen seems to be able to cash in on this as well. His NBA pedigree doesn't hurt either.