Marriott Center
500 E University Parkway Provo UT 84604
PROVO -- The BYU Cougars posted their fourth consecutive win by dismantling Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday night at the Marriott Center.
The Cougars blistered the Islanders for 52 first half points, shooting 54 percent from the field and a perfect 9 for 9 from the free throw line. The lack of defense in the first half is not a new problem according to Islander coach Ronnie Arrow.
"We're working at finding a remedy for our problems early in the game. We haven't defended anybody in the first half this year," Arrow said.
The Cougars were led in the half by Terrell Lyday, who scored all of his team-high 19 points in the first half, before being hampered by a hip-pointer for the remainder of the game.
BYU stifled the visiting team, holding the Islanders to only 23 points. The point total for the half is the lowest scored by any Islander team in any half of basketball.
The focus of both the offense and the defense did not carry over to the second half for the Cougars. Despite being down by 29 points at the end of the half, the Islanders did not go away quietly. The Islanders climbed back into the range of respectability with a 15-2 run during the middle part of the second half.
"To be honest with you, we did not play the second half with the same intensity that we showed in the first half. They came back and played a lot harder in the second half than we did," BYU coach Steve Cleveland said. "We got complacent and we just can't do that."
The Islanders were led by seniors Michael Hicks and Sennai Atsbeha with 21 and 15 points respectively. While the Cougars also enjoyed senior leadership in the points column with seniors Lyday and Trent Whiting scoring 19 and 15 respectively.
The Cougars open Mountain West Conference play hosting San Diego State University Saturday, January 13 at 4:00 p.m. in the Marriott Center. Please note the time change to 4 p.m.
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICSTexas A & M-Corpus Christi vs Brigham Young University
01/06/01 7:05 at Provo, Utah
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VISITORS: Texas A & M-Corpus Christi 6-9
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
04 MC BRIDE, C.J....... * 1-5 0-2 1-2 0 1 1 3 3 2 2 0 2 23
11 HICKS, Michael...... * 9-16 0-0 3-4 2 1 3 2 21 5 3 0 2 36
20 ATSBEHA, Sennai..... * 5-9 2-6 3-3 1 3 4 3 15 1 1 0 0 23
33 SHULTZ, Dustin...... * 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 18
40 HEMSLEY, Shaun...... * 2-6 0-0 0-0 5 9 14 1 4 0 2 2 0 24
03 EVAMS. Brian........ 3-8 0-2 0-0 0 2 2 1 6 3 1 0 2 19
05 DENMON, Lee......... 1-4 1-3 0-0 0 0 0 2 3 0 2 0 1 13
15 DRASUTIS, Arunas.... 2-6 1-5 1-1 1 1 2 4 6 1 0 0 0 9
21 HAMILTON, Brian..... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1
23 WAINWRIGHT, Armond.. 1-6 0-4 0-0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 12
34 KIRKALDY, Damian.... 4-13 0-1 0-0 3 5 8 5 8 0 2 0 0 16
50 DIENE, Pathe........ 0-0 0-0 0-2 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 6
TEAM................ 3 3
Totals.............. 28-75 4-23 8-12 15 24 39 25 68 13 16 3 8 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-34 .294 2nd Half: 18-41 .439 Game: .373 DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-9 .111 2nd Half: 3-14 .214 Game: .174 REBOUNDS
F Throw % 1st Half: 2-2 1.000 2nd Half: 6-10 .600 Game: .667 1
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HOME TEAM: Brigham Young University 11-4
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
02 HANSEN, Travis...... f 2-4 0-1 0-0 0 7 7 2 4 1 0 0 1 17
15 WESLEY, Mekeli...... f 4-11 0-1 1-1 2 4 6 1 9 0 3 3 2 27
25 NIELSEN, Eric....... f 1-5 0-0 0-0 2 4 6 0 2 1 0 0 2 16
21 WHITING, Trent...... g 6-10 1-4 2-3 1 4 5 2 15 3 3 2 0 33
24 LYDAY, Terrell...... g 4-9 3-6 8-10 0 1 1 2 19 1 2 0 0 19
01 KNIGHT, Nate........ 4-5 0-0 0-0 2 1 3 1 8 1 0 1 0 12
10 ARCHIBALD, Jordan... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
20 BOBIK, Daniel....... 2-3 0-1 7-8 1 1 2 2 11 0 2 1 2 12
23 SHIPPEN, Ty......... 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
31 MONTAGUE,Matt....... 0-0 0-0 2-4 0 6 6 1 2 8 3 0 2 25
34 CHRISMAN, Jacob..... 2-5 0-0 0-0 3 3 6 2 4 1 3 0 0 20
42 COOPER, Nathan...... 3-4 2-3 0-0 0 2 2 3 8 0 2 0 1 14
43 DAWES, Derek........ 0-0 0-0 2-4 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 3
TEAM................
Totals.............. 28-57 6-17 22-30 11 36 47 16 84 16 18 7 10 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 19-35 .543 2nd Half: 9-22 .409 Game: .491 DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 5-13 .385 2nd Half: 1-4 .250 Game: .353 REBOUNDS
F Throw % 1st Half: 9-9 1.000 2nd Half: 13-21 .619 Game: .733 2
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Officials: Larry Stubing, Bill Gracy, Mike Giarratano
Technical fouls: Texas A & M-Corpus Christi-None. Brigham Young
University-None.
Attendance: 10205
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Texas A & M-Corpus Christi.... 23 45 - 68
Brigham Young University...... 52 32 - 84
In its final game before the Mountain West Conference season begins next week, BYU (10-4) hosts the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (6-8) Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Marriott Center. The Cougars enter the game with a three-game winning streak and a 12-game home winning streak, including a perfect 7-0 record in the Marriott Center this year. The Islanders are coming off an 84-70 loss at San Diego State Thursday. The game can be heard on KSL Newsradio 1160 with Greg Wrubell and Mark Durrant calling the action on the Cougar Sports Network. The game is not being televised.
Up Next
BYU opens the Mountain West Conference season next week and will play its first Saturday-Monday series of the year by hosting San Diego State Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. and UNLV Jan. 15 at 10 p.m. The San Diego State game is being televised by ESPN Regional Television on Utah's ESPN+Plus affiliate KJZZ-14 in Salt Lake City. Monday's game with UNLV is the Big Monday game on ESPN.
Game 15 Fast Facts
Teams:
Brigham Young University Cougars (10-4) - Provo, Utah
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (6-8) - Corpus Christi, Texas
Date: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001
Site: Provo, Utah
Arena:Marriott Center (22,700)
Time: 7 p.m. MST
Series:First Meeting
Coaches:
BYU, Steve Cleveland (53-52 in fourth year; same overall)
A&M-CC, Ronnie Arrow (19-21 in second year; 133-114 overall)
TV: None
Radio:
KSL Newsradio 1160 AM (Cougar Sports Network)
Pregame Air Time - 6:30 p.m. MST
Play-by-Play - Greg Wrubell
Game Analyst - Mark Durrant
BYU's Probable Starters:
Pos. # Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG
F 2 Travis Hansen 6-6 210 So. 6.0 2.6
F 25 Eric Nielsen 6-9 215 Jr. 7.1 4.6
F 15 Mekeli Wesley 6-9 240 Sr. 16.5 5.4
G 24 Terrell Lyday 6-3 195 Sr. 14.7 2.9
G 21 Trent Whiting 6-1 185 Sr. 15.0 1.9
Texas A&M-CC's Probable Starters:
Pos. # Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG
F 11 Michael Hicks 6-5 195 Sr. 25.4 7.6
F 21 Brian Hamilton 6-5 167 Fr. 4.2 2.6
C 50 Pathe Diene 6-10 240 Sr. 1.4 1.8
G 15 Arunas Drasutis 6-5 205 Sr. 7.1 2.7
G 3 Brian Evans 6-0 165 Fr. 7.1 2.9
Scouting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
The Islanders are in their second year in NCAA Division I. They return four starters among seven lettermen from last year's team that posted a respectable 13-13 record in its Division I debut. The Islanders are coming off an 84-70 loss at San Diego State Thursday and have a 6-8 record entering Saturday's game in Provo. The Islanders have wins over Birmingham Southern, Portland State, Texas Tech, Cal Poly, Priarie View A&M and Sul Ross State. The Islanders are 1-4 on the road with a win at Texas Tech. Among the team's eight losses, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has three losses by five points or less and lost at Texas by eight, 79-71. The Islanders boast All-American candidate Michael Hicks, who averages 25.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game. The 6-5 senior forward entered the week as the nation's leading scorer and is shooting 55.1 percent from the floor and 75.8 percent from the line. He has made 5-20 treys. Lee Denmon III adds 10.9 points per game off the bench to a potent Islander offensive attack that puts up 79.3 points per game.
Series History
This will be the first meeting between the two teams.
Cougars Coming Off Win over Idaho Tuesday
PROVO -- Senior Nathan Cooper came off the bench to spark the BYU offense as the Cougars rolled to a 75-47 victory over Idaho at the Marriott Center, Tuesday. BYU improves to 10-4 on the season, and extends its home winning streak to 12 games, dating back to last season. Idaho falls to 3-9 with the loss. Cooper, one of four BYU players to score in double digits, had 10 points in the game and snatched four defensive rebounds. The offensive output marked a breakout from a bit of a slump for Cooper. In BYU's previous seven games, he had only scored a total of 11 points. Terrell Lyday led all scorers with 13 points. Trent Whiting tossed in 12 points to mark his seventh straight game scoring in double figures, and Travis Hansen also added 10 points. Idaho managed to stay close in the opening minutes of the game. But a 16-4 run midway through the first half allowed BYU to open up 33-17 lead. Cooper made two free throws and hit a three-pointer to push the lead to 20 points with less than a minute to go in the half. Adam Miller made a three for the Vandals with 39 seconds left to cut the halftime advantage to 41-24. In the second half, the Cougar defense tightened up on the Idaho shooters. The Vandals finished the game shooting just 27 percent from the field, the lowest for a BYU opponent this season. Not a single player scored in double figures for Idaho, as starting forward Matt Gerschefske and reserve guard Bret Wise each scored seven points to lead the Vandals. A jumper by Chris Monroe with 12:35 left to play would be the last Idaho field goal in the game. The Cougars proceeded to go on a 12-0 run to extend their lead to 64-40 with 7:12 to go. The Vandals hit just three-of-ten free throws over the final six and a half minutes of the game. BYU, meanwhile, went 4-4 from the line over the same stretch, and hit 13-15 in the second half.
Cleveland's Record
Steve Cleveland is now 53-52 overall in his fourth year and is above a .500 winning percentage for the first time since going 1-0 with a win in his first game at San Diego State in 1997. He had evened his winning percentage at .500 twice in the last two weeks. He went to 50-50 with a win over Boise State in Hawaii before the Cougars suffered back-to-back close defeats to ranked teams. His two wins last week brought his record to 52-52 before BYU's win over Idaho Tuesday. Cleveland, who took over a 1-25 program in 1997, has improved to 9-9 vs. instate schools and has a winning record against every instate school but Utah (1-7).
Wesley Moving Up Career Charts
With his 17 points Saturday against South Alabama, Wesley passed Andy Toolson (1,388) into 10th place among BYU's all-time scoring leaders. Wesley scored eight points Tuesday and now has 1,402 career points. He needs seven points to surpass Jay Cheesman into ninth place. Wesley is sixth all-time at BYU in free throw attempts with 528 and seventh in free throws made with 409. He needs to make 23 more to move past Mike Smith (431) into sixth place and is 75 attempts from passing Fred Roberts into fifth place.
Streaks
The Cougars have an 12-game home winning streak dating back to last year when the Cougars won their final five contests in the Marriott Center. BYU is 7-0 at home this season. BYU's last home loss was to New Mexico (78-74) on Feb. 17, 2000. The Cougars have a three-game winning streak that started with BYU's first road win of the season at Weber State. The win ended a two-game skid. The two losses were both single-digit defeats to nationally ranked teams. The Cougars have lost consecutive games twice this year and had back-to-back losses on three occasions last season. BYU has not lost more than two consecutive games since losing three straight in February of the 1998-99 season. BYU won five straight games between its two sets of losses this year. Terrell Lyday had his string of 15 straight games with a three-pointer end at Weber State when he missed on his only attempt from behind the arc. He had a trey in BYU's first 11 games this year and the last four of last season. He holds the BYU record after making a trey in 21 consecutive games to begin last season. He was 1-4 Saturday on three attempts. Mekeli Wesley has made a trey in four straight games.
Nielsen Improvement
Eric Nielsen has averaged 9.8 points and 7.0 rebounds over the last four games after averaging 6.1 points and 3.6 rebounds over the first 10 games. Limited minutes was probably the only factor in halting Nielsen's three-game double figures scoring streak. He scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds in the 14 first-half minutes vs. Idaho but played only two minutes in the second half, grabbing another rebound to finish with seven points and seven rebounds. He did not commit a foul for the first time this year vs. Idaho. His string of three straight games in double figures was the longest of his career. He had back-to-back double-digit games three times last season and eight total double figures games. As a freshman, he recorded nine double-digit scoring games but was never able to do it on consecutive outings. With his four double figures games this year, he now has 21 career double-digit scoring games in 73 games played. He has started 57 times.
Whiting, Knight Made Strong BYU Debuts
Transfer players Trent Whiting (Utah) and Nate Knight (Kentucky) made their Cougar debuts Dec. 16 vs. Utah State after sitting out the first seven games of the year because of transfer rules. Whiting scored a game-high 22 points on 7-11 shooting, including 4-7 threes, in a team-high 39 minutes in his debut while Knight made a solid contribution with five points and six rebounds in 18 minutes. Neither player had played in a game for more than a year since transferring last fall.
Wesley Earns Second MWC Player of the Week Award
COLORADO SPRINGS -- BYU senior forward Mekeli Wesley was named the Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week Wednesday after leading the Cougars (10-4) to a 3-2 record over the past two weeks. This is the second player of the week honor for Wesley this season and third weekly MWC award of his career. Wesley, a Provo, Utah (Provo HS) product, averaged 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, shot 54.2 percent (32-of-59) from the field and 88.6 percent (31-of-35) in five games. He was named to the Yahoo! Sports Invitational All-Tournament team after averaging 21.3 points and 5.7 rebounds, while shooting 22-of-33 (.667) from the floor and 19-of-23 (.82.6) from the line in three contests. Wesley scored 19 points and had a team-high seven rebounds in 23 minutes in the 83-67 win over Boise State. He tallied 26 points and pulled down four rebounds in the 77-71 loss to Iowa State. In the third place game, a 70-67 loss to then 13th-ranked Southern California, Wesley notched 19 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes. In the final two games of the month, Wesley continued to lead the Cougars in scoring with 17 points in each of the victories over Weber State (84-75) and South Alabama (64-42). He was also a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line in the two games.
Wesley Recognized for Outstanding Play
BYU senior forward Mekeli Wesley was named to the Yahoo! Sports Invitational All-Tournament Team Dec. 23 while averaging 21.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in three games. He was named the Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week Dec. 11 after leading the Cougars to a pair of victories over Rice and Florida International. Wesley, a Provo, Utah (Provo HS) product, averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and shot 60 percent (15-of-25) from the field in the two games that week. In the 78-50 victory over Florida International, he shot 50 percent (7-for-14) from the field and shared game-high scoring honors with 16 points. Wesley also grabbed four rebounds and had two steals vs. the Golden Panthers. On Saturday, he went 8-for-11 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range, and led the Cougars with 21 points in the 59-49 win at Rice. Wesley also pulled down four rebounds and had two blocks. This is Wesley's first MWC player of the week honor of this season and the second of his career.
PLAYER NOTES
Mekeli Wesley (16.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Last Game: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks in 25 minutes vs. Idaho.
• Wesley became the first repeat winner of the MWC Player of the Week award Wednesday after leading BYU over the prior two-week, five-game stretch with team bests of 19.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 54.2 percent from the floor, 60 percent from behind the three-point arc, and 88.6 percent from the free throw line. He also handed out 1.2 assists per game during the stretch.
• He was named to the Yahoo! Sports Invitational All-Tournament Team Dec. 23 while averaging 21.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in three games. He was 22-33 (.667) from the floor and 19-23 (.826) from the line. He also made his only three-point attempt. He had games of 19, 26 and 19 points.
• After starting the year shooting 34.9 percent in the first four games, he shot 60.8 percent in the next seven games going 45-74 and is now shooting 49 percent for the year.
• He earned his first MWC Player of the Week honor this year on Dec. 11.
• Wesley has scored in double figures in 12 of BYU's 14 games. He halted a six-game string with 8 points vs. Idaho. He has been the Cougars' top scorer or shared the honor in 10 games, including four of the last six. Last year he had double figures in 30 of 33 games and led the Cougar in scoring in 17 games.
• Wesley has made a three in each of the last four games.
• With his 17 points Saturday against South Alabama, Wesley passed Andy Toolson (1,388) into 10th place among BYU's all-time scoring leaders. Wesley scored eight points Tuesday and now has 1,402 career points. He needs seven points to surpass Jay Cheesman into ninth place. Wesley is sixth all-time at BYU in free throw attempts with 528 and seventh in free throws made with 409. He needs to make 23 more to move past Mike Smith (431) into sixth place and is 75 attempts from passing Fred Roberts into fifth place. This year Wesley has team highs of 79 FT makes and 98 attempts (.806).
• He leads the team with 5.4 rebounds per game. He had his string of 12 straight games with an offensive board end vs. Idaho. He has a team-best 23 offensive boards and 76 defensive rebounds.
WESLEY CAPSULE: A preseason All-Mountain West Conference selection, Wesley enters his senior year as the only player on the roster to have played in each of head coach Steve Cleveland's three previous seasons ... a three-year starter, he has developed into one of the top players in the Mountain West Conference with good scoring ability from both the post and the perimeter ... he earned second-team All-MWC honors as a junior and was on the WAC Newcomer Team as a freshman ... he has bulked up between his junior and senior seasons and is in the best shape of his career ... he missed part of his sophomore season while attending Salt Lake Community College for a semester and struggled to regain his freshman form ... a team captain, he returned to lead BYU in rebounding and was nine points shy of Lyday in scoring last year ... he will again be asked to provide leadership as a primary scorer and rebounder.
2000-01 BIO: Wesley had 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks in 25 minutes vs. Idaho ... team-high 17 points with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block in 22 minutes vs. USA ... team-high 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal in 32 minutes vs. Weber State. ... 19 points, team-best 6 rebounds, 2 assists in 25 minutes vs. USC ... season-high 26 points with 4 rebounds in 33 minutes vs. Iowa State ... 19 points, game-high 7 rebounds in 23 minutes vs. Boise State ... came out on fire making 7-8 first half shots, including 2-3 treys, for 16 points in 20 minutes on his way to a game-high 22 points with 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 30 minutes vs. USU ... season-low 5 points, team-best 9 rebounds and two timely blocks in the closing moments in 31 total minutes vs. SUU ... named MWC Player of the Week Dec. 11 ... season-high 21 points with 4 rebounds, 2 blocks in 34 minutes vs. Rice ... 16 points, 4 rebounds, season-high 3 assists in 31 minutes vs. FIU ... team-high 11 points, 7 rebounds in 30 minutes at ASU ... a season-high 20 points and 5 rebounds, 2 assists in 32 minutes vs. USF ... recorded career highs of 12 rebounds and five blocks against UCSB while recording his fifth career double double (first of season) with 11 points ... had a team-high 19 points, 3 rebounds in 21 minutes vs. Elon College, making all five of his field goals.
Terrell Lyday (14.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
Last Game: 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals in 26 minutes vs. Idaho.
• Lyday averaged 6 rebounds per game last week in two games. He added 10.5 points per game in the two wins while playing a team-high 36 minutes per game.
• At Weber State he did not come out of the game for the first time this year while having the defensive assignment to guard Jermaine Boyette. Lyday averages 33.6 minutes on the year, second only to Trent Whiting's 34.7 minutes. They are the only two players to average more than 30 minutes per game.
• Lyday had his best week of the year last week despite having two ankle sprains. He averaged 20 points, 2.7 points, 2.3 assists and 2.3 steals in three games. He scored a season-best 25 points vs. Boise State.
• He had his string of four straight double-digit scoring games come to a halt Saturday with seven points on 1-7 shooting. He has reached double figures in 10 of 12 games overall this year. He has reach double figures in all but six games in his two years at BYU.
• He took only one three-pointer vs. Weber State, a miss, to end his string of 15 straight games with a trey, third on the BYU all-time list. He set the BYU record with a trey in the first 21 games of last year. He had made a three in each of BYU's first 11 games this year and the last four of last season. He has made multiple threes in seven games this year, including 4-7 vs. Boise State and 3-7 vs. Iowa State last week. Last year he made a two or more treys in 20 of 33 games. He was 1-4 vs. USA.
LYDAY CAPSULE: Lyday enters his senior season after exciting Cougar fans with a strong first season upon transferring from Fresno City College ... a preseason All-Mountain West Conference selection, he is a MWC Player of the Year candidate and considered the top guard in the league ... he was named MWC Newcomer of the Year last year ... athletic with a smooth jumper, he is a scorer who can finish inside or consistently knock down shots from the outside ... quick with good hands, he is an outstanding defender who led the MWC in steals last year ... he will be a go-to player for the Cougars in his final season.
2000-01 BIO: Lyday had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals in 26 minutes vs. Idaho ... 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals in team-high 32 minutes vs. USA ... 14 points, season-high 7 rebounds, 1 steal in 40 minutes at Weber State ... 17 points, 2 rebounds, season-high 4 assists in 34 minutes vs. USC ... 18 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals in 32 minutes vs. ISU ... season-highs of 25 points and four steals with 4 rebounds, 2 steals in 36 minutes vs. Boise State despite a sore ankle ... had a career-low 5 points, with 2 rebounds, 2 assists in injury -shortened (sprained right ankle) 26 minutes vs. USU ... game-high 24 points, season-high 4 rebounds, career-high 2 blocks in 39 minutes vs. SUU ... 10 points, 3 rebounds in 37 minutes vs. Rice at the Compaq Center ... 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 31 minutes vs. FIU ... 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 38 minutes at ASU ... 16 points, no rebounds, 1 assist in 39 minutes at USF ... team-high 21 points, no rebounds, 1 assist in 30 minutes vs. UCSB ... 9 points, 3 rebounds in 23 minutes vs. Elon College ... sat out the last exhibition with a muscle strain in his lower leg and played just over half vs. Elon.
Trent Whiting (15.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Last Game: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block in 29 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He has reached double figures in all seven games he has played this year. He has led the Cougars in scoring once (vs. USU).
• He plays a team-high 33.9 minutes per game. He played less then 30 minutes, 29, for the first time in the last two straight games.
• He is shooting 43.9 percent, 35.9 percent on threes, and 79.2 percent from the line.
• Starting in his BYU debut, Whiting hit his first three shots and made four of five threes to score 14 first half points. He made several big plays in the game. He nailed a buzzer-beating three from 30-plus range to put BYU up 41-40 to end the half. He later made a critical steal and layup to tie the game with 2:40 remaining and made two free throws in the last minute to tie the score again at 67. He was 7-11 from the floor on the night. With Lyday playing only 26 minutes because of an ankle sprain, Whiting played both guard positions, coming out for only one minute.
WHITING CAPSULE: Whiting enters his first year at BYU after transferring from Utah last year ... he will not be eligible to compete until Dec. 16th against Utah State because of transfer rules ... he only played five games at Utah last year because of injury ... a NJCAA All-American at Snow College, he can play either guard position ... expected to be a key contributor, he is a gifted outside shooter with excellent range and a conditioned athlete with a strong vertical leap.
2000-01 BIO: Whiting had 2 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block in 29 minutes vs. Idaho ... 13 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3 steals in season-low 29 minutes vs. USA ... 15 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, season-high 4 assists in 33 minutes at Weber State ... 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist in 34 minutes vs. USC ... 12 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal in 38 minutes vs. Iowa State ... 19 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal in 35 minutes vs. Boise State ... career-high 22 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in team-high 39 minutes vs. USU in his BYU debut.
Nathan Cooper (4.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Last Game: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal in 21 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He has started in 10 of 14 games. After starting the first seven games, he came off the bench vs. USU and Boise State before returning to the starting lineup in the next three games. He came off the bench again in the last two games.
• He scored 10 points Tuesday vs. Idaho after scoring only 1 point in the previous four games. Since scoring 10 points vs. Rice in Houston, he had totaled 11 points in the next seven games, including four scoreless outings, before Tuesday. He averaging 7 points over the first six games, but averaged 1.6 points over the next seven.
• He is shooting 48.7 percent overall this year and is 4-9 on threes (.444). After being last year's top Cougar (.778) from the free throw line, he is shooting 67.7 percent (21-31) from the line this year. He has never averaged less than 74 percent (as a freshman) from the line over the course of a season.
• Making hustle plays, Cooper grabbed five offensive boards last week among his 11 rebounds. All three of his rebounds vs. Utah State came off the offensive glass. On the year he is two behind Wesley with 21 offensive rebounds and is third in total rebounds with 57 (4.1 per game).
COOPER CAPSULE: Cooper returns for his senior season as one of the team captains ... he is a versatile player who has a solid outside shot and a willingness to mix it up inside ... he has been considered the heart of the team because of his tough, scrappy nature and competitive desire ... he was the team's top free throw shooter last year... tendonitis in his knee limited his off-season play ... he has been a solid contributor in each of his first three seasons, both as a starter and off the bench.
2000-01 BIO: Cooper 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal in 21 minutes vs. Idaho ... did not score with 4 rebounds in 16 minutes vs. USA ... had 1 point in season-low 9 minutes after starting at Weber State ... did not score with 3 rebounds, 1 steal in 25 minutes vs. USC ... did not score, 3 rebounds, 1 steal in 19 minutes vs. Iowa State ... 6 points, 5 rebounds in 22 minutes vs. Boise State ... 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 14 minutes vs. USU ... did not score, taking only one shot, with 1 rebound, 1 steal in 18 minutes vs. SUU ... 10 points, 4 rebounds, season-high 4 assists in 29 minutes vs. Rice ... had 7 points, 7 rebounds in 21 minutes vs. FIU ... had 5 points, 5 re bounds in 19 minutes at ASU ... had 4 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists in 31 minutes at USF ... had 6 points, 6 rebounds vs. UCSB in 28 minutes ... had 10 points and 7 rebounds in 20 minutes vs. Elon College, going 3-3 from the floor, including 1-1 on threes, and hit 3-4 free throws.
Eric Nielsen (7.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
Last Game: 7 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal in 16 minutes vs. Idaho.
• Nielsen had his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds Saturday vs. USA.
• After not scoring for the first time this year vs. Iowa State, he reached doube figures in three straight games for the first time in his career. He has reached double figures four times this year and is fourth on the team in scoring at 7.1 points per game.
• He is averaging 9.8 points and 7 rebounds over the last four games.
• He shot less than 50 percent for only the second game this year Thursday, going 3-8 from the floor. He was 4-6 from the floor Saturday and 5-7 at Weber State after attempting only seven shots the previous week in three games. He returned to the starting lineup in the last three games after coming off the bench for the first time in the previous two games.
• He is shooting a team-best 61 percent from the floor. Last year he had the eighth best season field goal percentage in BYU history at 57.8. His current 55.5 career percentage ranks fifth all-time at BYU among starters having made 191-344 field goals in his two-plus seasons.
NIELSEN CAPSULE: Nielsen came on strong at the end of last season and is expected to be a major contributor during his junior season ... a two-year starter, he played on the 1-25 1996-97 team and, after returning from an LDS Church mission, on last year's 22-11 NIT quarterfinalist squad ... an intelligent player with a good mid-range jumper, he returns for his junior year physically much stronger and has improved his shooting.
2000-01 BIO: Nielsen had 7 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal in 16 minutes vs. Idaho ... first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, along with 2 assists in 27 minutes vs. USA ... 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist in 34 minutes at Weber State ... 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal in 20 minutes vs. USC ... no points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal in 23 minutes vs. ISU ... 2 points, no rebounds, 1 block in 15 minutes vs. BSU ... 6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists in 21 minutes vs. USU ... season-high 15 points with 4 rebounds in 35 minutes vs. SUU ... 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 19 minutes vs. Rice ... 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists in season-high 32 minutes vs. FIU ... season highs of nine points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes at ASU ... 4 points, 2 rebounds in 8 minutes at USF, fouling out ... 3 points, 2 rebounds in 12 foul-trouble limited minutes vs. UCSB ... 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists (matched season high from last year) in 25 minutes vs. Elon College.
Travis Hansen (6.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Last Game: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal in 18 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He returned to the starting lineup in the last two games. He had come off the bench the previous three games after started the previous two. He has four total starts. He came off the bench in the first seven games.
• After averaging 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in his first three starts, he had 10 points Tuesday. The Cougars are 4-0 in when Hansen starts but he boasts a stronger 6.7 points and 2.8 rebounds average when coming off the bench. BYU is 6-4 in games he has come off the bench.
• Overall, he is fifth on the team in scoring with a 6.0 average.
HANSEN CAPSULE: Hansen enters his first season at BYU and should make an immediate impact ... he enrolled this fall after sitting out a redshirt season last year upon return from his LDS Church mission ... he played at Utah Valley State College as a freshman ... he is one of the most athletic players on the team ... he is a scorer who has nice range from outside and can slash to the basket effectively ... his explosive athleticism will be highlighted in BYU's motion offense and should improve the Cougars' team rebounding.
2000-01 BIO: Hansen had 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal in 18 minutes vs. Idaho ... 5 points, no rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal in 14 minutes vs. USA ... career highs of 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists in 21 minutes at Weber State ... 5 points in 16 minutes off the bench vs. USC ... career-high 9 points with 3 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench vs. ISU ... started but did not score with 2 rebounds, 1 assist in 12 minutes vs. BSU ... started for the first time and had 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal in 25 minutes vs. USU ... had identical 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 22 minutes lines vs. SUU and Rice ... 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 18 minutes vs. FIU ... had 8 points, 2 rebounds in 17 minutes at ASU .... he did not score and had 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 11 minutes at USF ... had 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 18 minutes vs. UCSB ... 4 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists in 11 minutes vs. Elon College playing with a groin injury.
Nate Knight (3.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Last Game: 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 block in 8 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He has played only 24 minutes in the last three games. He has started twice this year. He has come off the bench in the last three games.
KNIGHT CAPSULE: Knight transferred to BYU from Kentucky ... he becomes eligible to play his senior season on Dec. 16 vs. Utah State because of transfer rules ... he previously played at Utah Valley State College and Oregon State ... he is a hard-nosed player who can create problems for opponents with his ability to run the floor and post up ... he is primarily a power forward but could also play at center ... provides experience and depth to Cougar front line ... his brother Shane played for BYU and brother Travis currently plays in the NBA after a college career at Connecticut.
2000-01 BIO: Knight had 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 block in 8 minutes vs. Idaho ... 3 points, 2 rebound, 1 assist in 10 minutes vs. USA ... 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 block in 6 minutes at Weber State ... started and had 2 points (2-2 FTs), 2 rebounds in 15 minutes vs. USC ... got first start, equaled season-best 6 points with 5 rebounds, 1 block in 21 minutes ... season-high 6 points with 4 rebounds in 12 minutes vs. BSU ... 5 points, 6 rebounds in 18 minutes vs. USU in his BYU debut.
Matt Montague (3.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.1 apg)
Last Game: Did not score, 1 rebound, game-high 3 assists, 1 steal in 17 minutes vs Idaho.
• He made solid contributions in both BYU wins last week. He had a team-high 7 assists Saturday and provided a nice spark Thursday, penetrating effectively while handing out a team-best 5 assists and scoring 7 points. His lone steal vs. WSU was taken from WSU star Jermaine Boyette and set up a Travis Hansen hammer dunk to finally pull BYU even at 46-46. BYU did not trail the rest of the way.
• He started the first seven games but has come off the bench since Trent Whiting made his BYU debut vs. Utah State.
• He was 0-1 Tuesday and 0-2 Saturday. He ended a six game stretch without making a field goal at Weber State going 1-1 from the floor last. He started the year making his first eight shots, including 5-5 on threes, but is 1-14 from the floor in the last eight games. He is still shooting 46.7 percent overall from the floor and on treys attempts (6-13), doubling the number of treys he made all of last year (3-12).
• After averaging 9 points in BYU's first three games, he has only scored in three of BYU's last 11 games while averaging 1.7 points. He has only scored once (7 points at Weber State) in the last seven games.
• He has a team-best 58 assists (Lyday is next with 21).
MONTAGUE CAPSULE: Montague enters his junior season as the top assist maker on the Cougar roster ... he led the team in assists last year while starting 19 of 33 games ... prior to serving his LDS Church mission, he led the 1996-97 Cougars in assists while starting every game ... a hard-nosed competitor, he sees the floor well and is a great transition passer ... he was slowed some by an achilles injury last year and wasn't able to participate in preseason conditioning fully because of a flair up of the injury.
2000-01 BIO: Montague Did not score, 1 rebound, game-high 3 assists, 1 steal in 17 minutes vs Idaho ... did not score, 2 rebounds, game-high 7 assists, 2 steals in 30 minutes vs USA ... 7 points, 2 rebounds, game-high 5 assists, 1 steal in 18 minutes at Weber State ... did not score and only took two shots (both threes) in three games at the Yahoo! Sports Invitational ... played 11 minutes with 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal vs. USC, 12 minutes with 2 assists, 2 rebounds vs. ISU, and 30 minutes with 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and his first-ever block vs. BSU ... did not score (0-1) with 1 assist, 1 steal in season-low 10 minutes vs. USU ... was 0-3 from the floor with 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, career-high 5 steals in 34 minutes vs. SUU ... shot 0-4 and did not score with 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals in 40 minutes vs. Rice ... 8 points, 3 rebounds, season-low 2 assists vs. FIU ... did not score and had 3 rebounds, 3 assists in 28 minutes at ASU ... made his first eight shots of the year over three games, including 5-5 on threes ... had a season-high 12 points with 2 rebounds, 6 assists in 34 minutes at USF ... 9 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists in 33 minutes vs. UCSB ... 6 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists in team-high 30 minutes vs. Elon College, going 2-2 from the floor, both three pointers, marking the first time he has made two treys in a game during his career at BYU ... also had 8 assist and no turnovers and with game-best 3 steals.
Daniel Bobik (3.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg)
Last Game: 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal in 17 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He has averaged 5.5 points in the last two games after a solid outing vs. Idaho with 6 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
• He saw his first action in the three games Saturday vs. USA and went 2-3 from the floor, making his only three. He had not played in the previous two games and played only 1 minute vs. ISU. He had not scored in the four of the last six games in which he has played after getting on the scoreboard in the first five games.
• He has taken three shots in each of the past two games after taking only three field goal attempts, all missed threes, in limited play during the previous six games in which he played. Before Saturday vs. USA, the last field goal he had made was vs. Florida International on Dec. 7. Since playing a season-high 20 minutes vs. FIU he has played a combined 50 minutes (6.3 mpg) in his last eight games.
BOBIK CAPSULE: Bobik has enrolled at BYU for his freshman season after returning from an LDS Church mission to the Dominican Republic ... he was one of the first recruits to sign with BYU under Steve Cleveland ... he is an excellent shooter and good passer with good court awareness who could play either guard position ... he has worked with a personal trainer since returning from his two-year mission to prepare for the season.
2000-01 BIO: Bobik had 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal in 17 minutes vs. Idaho ... 5 points, 1 steal in 7 minutes vs. USA ... did not play vs. Weber State or USC ... played only 1 minute vs. ISU ... 4 points (4-4 FTs), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal in 8 minutes vs. BSU ... played 3 minutes vs. USU ... was 0-1 (a trey attempt) with 1 rebound, 1 assists, 1 steal in 9 minutes vs. SUU ... 0-1 (trey attempt) with 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal in season-low 5 minutes v. Rice ... 9 points, 3 rebounds, season-high 3 assists in 20 minutes vs. FIU ... 3 points, 3 rebounds in 16 minutes at ASU ... 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 12 minutes at USF ... 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist in 9 minutes vs. UCSB ... 16 points, 1 rebound, 1 assists in 19 minutes in his college debut vs. Elon College and was 5-10 from the floor and 4-4 from the line. He had three more field goal attempts than the next closest Cougar (Terrell Lyday with 7) ... started against EA Sports (Exhibition) in place of injured Terrell Lyday and had 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists ... had 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists off the bench vs. Team Reebok.
Jacob Chrisman (4.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
Last Game: 2 points, 3 rebounds in 11 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He is 2-3 from the floor in the last three games.
• He did not play for the first time this year vs. ISU. He has scored in 12 of the 13 game he has played (except SUU). He has had a rebound in 11 of 13 games played (except Rice and SUU).
• He has made 18-31 (.581) field goals this year.
CHRISMAN CAPSULE: Chrisman could be a significant contributor in his freshman season ... he is extremely mobile and a strong rebounder ... he is an athletic low post player who can score in multiple ways ... he has developed a nice perimeter game ... a hard worker, he has a knack for the game and finds a way to make plays both on offense and defense ... a slasher-type player who has a nice shooting touch ... he will be primarily a three but could also play some four for the Cougars.
2000-01 BIO: Chrisman had 2 points, 3 rebounds in 11 minutes vs. Idaho ... 2 points, 2 rebounds in 8 minutes vs. USA ... 4 points, 1 rebound in 7 minutes at Weber State ... 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist in 11 minutes vs. USC ... did not play for the first time vs. ISU ... 2 points (2-2 FTs), 2 rebounds in 7 minutes vs. BSU ... 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist in 10 minutes vs USU ... did not score or grab a rebound in season-low 5 minutes vs. SUU ... had 2 points and no rebounds in 8 minutes vs. Rice ... 7 points, 4 rebounds in 11 minutes vs. FIU ... 5 points, 3 rebounds in 12 minutes at ASU ... 7 points, 4 rebounds in 15 minutes at USF ... 4 points, 1 block, 1 steal in 23 minutes vs. UCSB ... 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal, 1 assist in 20 minutes in his college debut vs. Elon College.
Derek Dawes (1.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
Last Game: 3 points, 3 rebounds in 6 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He has taken six shots in the last nine games in which he has played (played in 11 of 14 games). He is 6-13 on the year from the field.
• He averages 2.7 rebounds in 6.1 minutes per game.
DAWES CAPSULE: Dawes enters his first year of college basketball as one of the most sought-after centers in the West ... he is an active player who runs the floor well and is a good free throw shooter ... he has outstanding shot blocking ability with great timing and good athleticism and size.
2000-01 BIO: Dawes had 3 points, 3 rebounds in 6 minutes vs. Idaho ... 2 points, 2 rebounds in 2 minutes vs. USA ... did not play at Weber State ... did not score with 3 rebounds, 1 block in 8 minutes vs. USC ... 2 rebounds in 3 minutes vs. ISU ... did not play vs. BSU ... 1 rebound in 4 minutes vs. USU ... 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block in 7 minutes vs. SUU ... he gave a nice contribution vs. Rice despite playing only six minutes. After making a block he came down the court and knocked down a long jumper on his only attempt. He also grabbed three boards (2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block in 6 minutes vs. Rice in Houston) ... did not play vs. FIU ... started at ASU and did not score with 2 blocks, 1 rebound in 6 minutes ... 1 point, 1 rebound in 6 minutes at USF ... 3 points, 4 rebounds in 7 minutes vs. UCSB ... 6 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block in 12 minutes vs. Elon College in his college debut.
Dan Howard (1.4 ppg, 0.6 rpg)
Last Game: 2 points, 1 rebound in 2 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He has played in three of the last nine games and only seven games overall.
• He is 4-5 from both the floor and 2-2 from the line this year. Last year he was 3-3 from the floor before being forced to redshirt with a knee injury.
HOWARD CAPSULE: Howard played four games last year but redshirted after having knee surgery ... he has not had any significant game experience since last playing for his high school team in 1996 ... a hard worker, he has a knack for the ball and could be a factor in his freshman year with his size inside.
2000-01 BIO: Howard had 2 points, 1 rebound in 2 minutes vs. Idaho ... 1 block in 1 minute vs. USA ... did not play at Weber State ... played only 1 minute vs. USC, committing a foul ... did not play in the previous five games ... sat out Rice game with knee injury ... 2 points in 4 minutes vs. FIU ... had 2 rebounds in 2 minutes at ASU ... fouled out with 4 points, no rebounds, 1 block after playing a season-high 12 minutes at USF with Eric Nielsen in foul trouble and USF putting a 7-footer on the court ... did not play vs. UCSB ... had 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 block in 5 minutes vs. Elon College.
Ty Shippen (0.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.8 apg)
Last Game: 1 rebound in 2 minutes vs. Idaho.
• He played for the first time in the last nine games Tuesday vs. Idaho.
• He has played in five games. After averaging 5 minutes in BYU's first two home wins, he has played four total minutes since.
SHIPPEN CAPSULE: Shippen joins the Cougars as a walk-on after transferring from Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho ... he is a gifted shooter and can play either guard position ... he is married to the former Kaly Gillette, who plays on the BYU women's basketball team ... he is the younger brother of BYU women's basketball coach Trent Shippen ... he served an LDS Church mission to North Carolina.
2000-01 BIO: Shippen played 1 minute vs. USA .. had 1 assist in 1 minute at ASU ... played only two minutes with one turnover vs. UCSB ... had 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists in 8 minutes vs. Elon College.
Jordan Archibald (0.3 ppg, 0.3 apg)
Last Game: Played one minute vs. Idaho.
• He missed his only shot in limited play vs. Idaho. He has only played nine minutes this year, six in the season opener vs. Elon College.
ARCHIBALD CAPSULE: Archibald redshirted last year and returns for his freshman season ... he has good size and is a good shooter ... he suffered a broken hand during the off-season and his preseason skill development and conditioning opportunities were further limited due to a fall groin pull.
2000-01 BIO: Archibald played one minute vs. Idaho and USA ... had 1 point, 1 assist in 6 minutes vs. Elon College.
