PROVO -- Defense was the name of the game in BYU's 80-54 win over Weber State as the Cougars limited the Wildcats to 28.8 percent shooting and Fernando Malaman had a career-high six of BYU's season-high 11 blocks, the most by a BYU player since Shawn Bradley.

BYU improved to 16-0 against the Wildcats in the Marriott Center and is now 6-2 on the season while Weber State fell to 3-6.

"It was a great team win," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "Overall, I was pretty pleased with the win. We came out with a pretty good mindset and actually executed well offensively."

The defense was especially effective in the first half, limiting the Wildcats to 25.8 percent shooting and 22 points, the least point scored by a BYU opponent in a half this season. Malaman tied his previous career high with four blocks in the half and Jackson Emery added one of his own, blocking Coric Riggs from behind on a layup attempt. Lee Cummard and Derek Dawes had two blocks each for the game, marking a career high for Cummard.

The Cougars were efficient on the offensive end, hitting 44.3 percent (27-61) of their shots and recording 17 assists compared to 11 turnovers. Trent Plaisted paced BYU with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Brock Reichner was almost perfect from the floor, hitting 5-of-6 shots for 13 points. Keena Young was BYU's other player in double figures, tying a season high with 12 points.

Derek Dawes led the team with a season-high seven rebounds and Malaman added six boards, a career high. Austin Ainge led BYU with four assists.

Riggs scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, and David Patten had 12 points and a team-best seven rebounds.

BYU jumped out to an early lead as Brock Reichner hit a baseline fadeaway jumper for the first bucket of the game. After a three by Brian Cox of Weber State, the Cougars scored seven straight points, capped by a trey by Rashaun Broadus.

Weber State quickly got back into the game, as Riggs scored the next five points to cut BYU's lead to one at 9-8. Reichner ended the run with a three but Weber went on an 8-2 run to take its first lead of the game at 16-14 with just over 11 minutes remaining in the first half. BYU hit just 1-of-8 shots during the Wildcat run.

A Dawes free throw gave the Cougars the lead, which they held for the rest of the half. BYU extended the lead to nine at 29-20 by making 5-of-6 shots, including three consecutive fast-break layups, one by Reichner and two by Plaisted. Plaisted's were both assisted by Ainge. Reichner and Plaisted each scored nine points in the first period to lead BYU.

"Austin came out and did a pretty good job pushing the ball," Rose said.

The Cougars outscored the Wildcats 7-2 the rest of the half to lead 36-22. The last bucket came on an off-balance three by Mike Rose at the buzzer that hit the front of the rim and bounced in.

Weber turned the tables to start the second half, scoring the first five points and holding the Cougars scoreless for three minutes, cutting the lead to seven at 36-29. Rose got BYU back on track, hitting three free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt. Broadus followed Rose's effort with a three, pushing the lead back to 13 at 42-29.

BYU maintained a double-digit lead before going on an 8-2 run when leading 52-38, extending the advantage to 20 at 60-40. Cummard and Malaman both hit threes during the run.

Coach Rose started the same five players for the seventh straight game. BYU is 6-1 in those games. The Cougars will be back in action Thursday, Dec. 22 when they play in-state rival Utah State in Logan. BYU is 2-0 against in-state teams so far this season, having defeated Southern Utah and Weber State.

Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
Weber State vs BYU Cougars
12-17-05 6:06 p.m. at Marriott Center, Provo, Utah
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: Weber State 3-6, 0-0
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
21 PAJEVIC, Nedim...... f  2-7    0-0    4-4    1  2  3   5   8  1  0  0  0  27
22 HENRY, Dan.......... f  2-9    0-1    0-1    0  1  1   3   4  2  1  0  1  21
33 PATTEN, David....... c  4-17   1-1    3-6    2  5  7   1  12  0  1  2  2  29
01 RIGGS, Coric........ g  8-15   0-1    3-3    2  2  4   1  19  0  1  1  0  29
10 COX, Brett.......... g  1-1    1-1    0-0    0  2  2   4   3  1  0  0  0  19
00 SHELTON, Chauncey...    1-5    0-0    0-2    2  2  4   2   2  0  1  0  0  17
02 COVINGTON, Nick.....    0-7    0-4    4-4    2  3  5   1   4  2  3  0  0  27
03 EMADI, Matt.........    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  2  2   1   0  1  0  0  0   9
12 SPARROW, Ty.........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  0  0  0   1
14 BARISIC, Danko......    1-1    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   2  0  2  0  0   3
31 THOMAS, Chris.......    0-1    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  1   1
40 BURRIS, Clint.......    0-2    0-1    0-0    2  2  4   3   0  0  3  0  0  17
   TEAM................                         4  4  8
   Totals..............   19-66   2-10  14-20  15 26 41  22  54  7 13  3  4 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  8-31 25.8%   2nd Half: 11-35 31.4%   Game: 28.8%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-4  25.0%   2nd Half:  1-6  16.7%   Game: 20.0%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  5-9  55.6%   2nd Half:  9-11 81.8%   Game: 70.0%    3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: BYU Cougars 6-2, 0-0
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
15 MALAMAN, Fernando... f  2-5    1-1    0-0    0  6  6   3   5  0  2  6  0  23
23 BALDERSON, Jimmy.... f  1-3    0-2    1-2    1  4  5   2   3  2  0  0  0  17
44 PLAISTED, Trent..... c  5-8    0-0    5-8    3  2  5   3  15  1  2  0  0  24
01 BROADUS, Rashaun.... g  2-6    2-3    0-0    0  2  2   1   6  3  2  0  0  23
11 REICHNER, Brock..... g  5-6    1-2    2-2    0  0  0   3  13  1  0  0  0  24
02 ROSE, Mike..........    2-5    1-4    3-3    0  1  1   1   8  1  0  0  0   8
03 YOUNG, Keena........    4-8    0-0    4-6    1  3  4   3  12  2  1  0  0  20
04 EMERY, Jackson......    1-4    0-3    0-0    2  2  4   0   2  1  1  1  0  16
13 AINGE, Austin.......    1-5    0-4    0-0    0  4  4   1   2  4  0  0  0  17
30 CUMMARD, Lee........    3-6    1-3    2-4    2  1  3   2   9  2  1  2  3  14
41 ODJEGBA, Jermaine...    0-1    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  1   1
43 DAWES, Derek........    1-4    0-0    3-3    0  7  7   0   5  0  1  2  0  13
   TEAM................                         2  3  5
   Totals..............   27-61   6-23  20-28  11 35 46  19  80 17 11 11  4 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 13-30 43.3%   2nd Half: 14-31 45.2%   Game: 44.3%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  3-10 30.0%   2nd Half:  3-13 23.1%   Game: 26.1%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  7-12 58.3%   2nd Half: 13-16 81.3%   Game: 71.4%    5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Eric Curry, Ruben Ramos, Chris Rastatter
Technical fouls: Weber State-None. BYU Cougars-None.
Attendance: 8524
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
Weber State...................   22   32  -   54
BYU Cougars...................   36   44  -   80
Points in the paint-WEBER 22,BY 28. Points off turnovers-WEBER 8,BY 14.
2nd chance points-WEBER 4,BY 9. Fast break points-WEBER 2,BY 12.
Bench points-WEBER 8,BY 38. Score tied-2 times. Lead changes-4 times.

GAME #8 FAST FACTS

BYU COUGARS (5-2, 0-0 MWC)

vs.

WEBER STATE WILDCATS (3-5, 0-0 Big Sky)

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005

Marriott Center (22,700)

Provo, Utah

6:06 p.m. MST

Coaches:

BYU, Dave Rose (5-2 in first year; same overall)

WSU, Joe Cravens (109-76 in seventh season; 164-128 in 11th year overall)

Series:

BYU leads, 20-10, including a 79-61 win last year in Ogden on Dec. 23, 2004

TV:

SportsWest, KSL-TV, channel 5, in Utah and nationally via ESPN Full Court pay-per-view (6 p.m. MST air time -- Tom Kirkland, play-by-play; Craig Hislop, game analysis)

Radio:

KSL Newsradio 102,7 FM/1160 AM and BYU Sports Network (5 p.m. pregame show -- Greg Wrubell, play-by-play; Mark Durrant, game analysis)

Web:

Live audio and live stats broadcasts are available at www.byucougars.com/basketball_m/

BYU HOSTS WEBER STATE SATURDAY AT 6 P.M.

BYU (5-2, 0-0 MWC) looks to extend its two-game winning streak when the Cougars host in-state foe Weber State (3-5 0-0 Big Sky) Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Marriott Center. The game is a SportsWest Productions telecast being aired in Utah on KSL-TV, channel 5, and is available nationally pay-per-view via ESPN Full Court. The radio broadcast can be heard on KSL Newsradio at 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. Greg Wrubell and Mark Durrant will call the game, which is also available online at KSL.com.

UP NEXT

BYU plays another in-state game when the Cougars go to Logan to meet Utah State on Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on KJZZ-TV. The KSL Newsradio broadcast will be carried live on the Internet starting with the pregam show at 6:30 p.m. via the new X-Stream Audio Channel on KSL.com. The entire game will then be rebroadcast over the air on 102.7 FM and 1160 AM, as well as on the primary stream at KSL.com, after the conclusion of KSL's live broadcast of the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl that same evening between BYU and the Cal Bears.

COUGAR QUICK HITS

-- Coming off a disappointing 9-21 season after five straight postseason appearances, BYU looks to return to the ranks of conference contenders and postseason invitees under the direction of new head coach Dave Rose, who served the past eight seasons as Steve Cleveland's lead assistant.

-- Among BYU's returning players, honorable mention All-MWC guard Austin Ainge was the team's second-leading scorer and top assist man last year, and junior forward Keena Young was BYU's leading rebounder. Other returners with starting experience include junior swingman Jimmy Balderson, who represented Canada at the World University Games this summer; junior center Derek Dawes, who made 13 starts in the middle last year; and junior guard Mike Rose, who made seven starts last year and averaged 7.7 points while making a team-leading 56 treys. Lone senior Brock Reichner has started the last six games this season after mostly limited action last year.

-- Trent Plaisted leads BYU in scoring (14.7), followed by Jimmy Balderson (11.3). Plaisted is also the top Cougar rebounder (5.4), followed by Keena Young (4.7). Rashaun Broadus is the MWC's top assist maker (4.9), followed by Austin Ainge (3.4). The Cougars average an MWC-most 77.6 points and shoot .492 as a team, .415 from long range and .671 from the line. Cougar opponents average 69 points on .431 shooting, .331 from three and .733 from the line. BYU pulls down 34.1 rebounds per game, 1.7 more rebounds per contest than its opponents.

LOOKING AT WEBER STATE

The Wildcats are 3-5 so far this season, including a 1-2 mark on the road and an 0-4 record against in-state teams, including losses against Utah (OT), Southern Utah, Utah Valley State and, most recently, Utah State. Weber State began the year with three wins but has dropped its last five games. Senior guard/forward Coric Riggs is leading the team in scoring and rebounding with 13.1 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game while playing a team-leading 31.0 minutes per contest. Six-foot-eight junior forward David Patten is second on the team in both scoring and rebounding with 12.5 ppg and 4.5 rpg while contributing 12 steals and 12 blocks on the year, both of which are team highs. Junior guard/forward Dan Henry, a Snow College transfer, averages 8.1 ppg and 4.3 rpg. Wildcat center Nedim Pajevic, a six-foot-nine junior, leads the team in shooting, making 65.5 percent from the field, while recording 5.9 ppg and 2.3 rpg. Junior point guard Nick Covington adds 29 total assists and 3.6 per game on the year. As a team, the Wildcats are shooting 41.3 percent from the field, including 30.8 percent from three-point range, while scoring 63.6 points per game and winning the rebounding battle 32.4 to 31.8. Weber State opponents are shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc while averaging 65.5 points per game. Wildcat head coach Joe Cravens is in 109-76 in seven years at the helm of Weber State and 164-128 in 11 years overall.

LAST OUTING -- Aggies Drop 'Cats 69-60

Ogden, Utah (Dec. 10, 2005) -- Weber State dropped their fifth straight game on Saturday, falling to Utah State 69-60 at the Dee Events Center. Jaycee Carroll led all players with 30 points on 11 of 16 shooting (5 of 11 from three-point territory) from the floor. The sophomore guard also hit on five of six attempts from the free throw line. David Patten led the Wildcats with 16 points, hitting 7 of 12 shots. Coric Riggs added 14 points on 5 of 13 shooting, and pulled down seven rebounds. Chaz Spicer added 13 points and six rebounds and Nate Harris added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Aggies. Durrall Peterson pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to go along with six points for Utah State. Utah State outshot the Wildcats 53 percent to 39 percent and outscored WSU 34-25 in the first half. The Aggies also outrebounded the 'Cats 35-24 for the game. Weber State falls to 3-5 on the year, while Utah State improves to 4-2. The Aggies have now won four-straight games against the 'Cats and have won five of the last six meetings.

WEBER STATE's PROBABLE STARTERS

No Name Pos Ht Wt Cl Hometown PPG RPG

33 David Patten F 6-8 220 Jr. Placentia, Calif. 12.5 4.5

21 Nedim Pajevic C 6-9 235 Jr. Newport Harbor, Calif. 5.9 2.9

1 Coric Riggs G/F 6-4 210 Sr. Louisville, Ky. 13.1 8.4

22 Dan Henry G/F 6-5 190 Jr. Orem, Utah 8.1 4.3

2 Nick Covington G 6-1 205 Jr. Little Rock, Ark. 7.3 2.5

SERIES NOTES

With the exceptions of the 1979 and 1980 seasons, the Cougars and Wildcats have met at least once every year for a total of 30 times dating back to 1973. BYU owns a 20-10 advantage in those matchups, including a perfect 15-0 mark against Weber State in Provo.

Overall Series Record: BYU leads 20-10

BYU Record in Provo: 15-0

BYU Record in Ogden: 5-10

BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 0-0

BYU Record under Dave Rose: 0-0

BYU Record in Overtime Games: 2-2* (0-2 Rd, 2-0 Hm)

*BYU is 0-1 in 2OT games, lost in Ogden in 1983

Last Overtime Game: 1992, lost at Weber St, 77-83

Longest BYU Win Streak: 3, four times (1978-81, 85-87, 89-91, 99-2001)

Longest Weber State Win Streak: 1 (10 times)

Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 33, 104-71 in 1987

Largest Weber State Margin of Victory: 21, 96-75 in 1976

Most Points Scored by BYU: 104 in 1987

Most Points Scored by Weber State: 97 in 1996

IN-STATE COMPETITION

With the old Oquirrh bucket and the state bragging rights that go along with it once again on the line this season, the Cougars are just getting warmed up with in-state play having played one in-state game with four remaining. BYU is 1-0 so far this season against Utah teams with a win over Southern Utah, making the Cougars one of three in-state teams who are currently undefeated against their Utah counterparts as the University of Utah is 3-0 and Utah Valley State is also 1-0. In addition to BYU's matchup with Weber State Saturday, the Cougars face Utah State on Thursday Dec. 22, in Logan and then face the University of Utah twice, on Jan. 7 and Feb. 8, during Mountain West Conference play.

RECENT SERIES RECAPS

LAST YEAR IN OGDEN -- Balanced Attack Powers BYU to Victory

OGDEN -- Led by a balanced overall attack, BYU shot 60 percent from the floor on its way to a 79-61 road victory over Weber State Thursday in the Dee Events Center. "This game is much easier when you make baskets," said BYU coach Steve Cleveland, whose team entered the game shooting 40 percent on the season. "Our post players did a nice job tonight. We got the ball into the post. That's what we have to do." Four Cougars tied season highs in scoring to fuel BYU's offense, led by senior guard Mike Hall's career-equaling 23 points. Senior center Jared Jensen added 16 points while sophomore forwards Keena Young and Garner Meads tallied 14 and 10 points, respectively. Hall was 9-for-12 from the floor, including a sizzling 5-of-7 from long range. His five treys is a personal best. Jensen went 8-for-11 from the field and Young was 5-of-7 from the floor as the Cougars had their top shooting night of the season. Center Derek Dawes added seven points to help BYU outscore Weber State 42-28 in the paint. Cleveland put Dawes in the starting lineup for the second time this season, joining Jensen, Young, Hall and sophomore Austin Ainge to begin the game. Cleveland went primarily with six players as Meads (27 minutes) was the only reserve to log double-digit minutes. Ainge played a nice floor game in his third straight start at the point, contributing nine points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists. BYU committed just eight turnovers on the night, with Ainge making only one miscue during his career-most 34 minutes. BYU led from the outset and never looked back after finishing the first half on a 9-0 run to take a 42-28 advantage at the break. The Cougars built a lead as high as 21 points in the second half and never let Weber State get closer than 10 points at 48-38 with 16 minutes remaining. The Cougars shot a season-high 54.5 percent on threes, going 6-of-11, and were a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe -- BYU's second perfect night from the line this season. The Wildcats shot 41.5 percent overall, including 33.3 percent on threes, and converted on 75 percent of their free throws. Weber State got a huge performance out of senior center Lance Allred, who scored 27 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. Terrell Stovall added 15 points and Troy Goodell had 11 for the Wildcats, with Goodell making three treys and Stovall connecting twice from behind the arc.

2003-04 IN PROVO -- BYU Downs Weber State

PROVO -- Behind another dominating performance from senior center Rafael Araujo and his game-high 23 points, BYU defeated the Weber State Wildcats 86-65 Saturday night in the Marriott Center. The Cougars improve to 7-1, while the Wildcats drop to 5-4. Araujo also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds and has now led the Cougars in points and rebounds in six consecutive games. He also shot 11-for-14 from the floor. The Cougars shot a season-high tying 58.2 percent of their shots, in avenging a loss to the Wildcats last season. The Wildcats struck first in the game with a quick field goal to take a 2-0 lead, but it would prove to be WSU's only lead of the contest as BYU answered with an 11-0 run to take a commanding 11-2 lead. Hall spurred the run with a three-point play and a 3-pointer, enroute to a career-high 22 points. WSU came out a tentative team in the first half, as BYU continued to widen its lead. Junior guard Kevin Woodberry continued the Cougars' surge with a trey at the 13:18 mark to put BYU up 17-5. A lay-up by Woodberry, followed by a Hall dunk gave the Cougars a 29-10 lead and forced a Wildcats timeout at the 5:56 mark. After an Anthony Jackson made free throw, Araujo slammed a field goal home to give the Cougars' a 20-point lead, their largest of the half, 31-11. From there WSU outscored BYU 14-9 to narrow the half time deficit to 14 points, at 38-24, BYU. Araujo and Hall led the Cougars with 12 points a piece in the half. The second half was in marked contrast to the first, as the Wildcats came out of the chute, a hot shooting team. BYU, though, countered with even hotter shooting to stem the WSU tide. The Cougars started the half 8-for-8 on field goals. With 10:56 to play in the half, BYU was shooting 92.9% (13-14) and WSU was knocking shots down at an 83.3% (10-12) clip. Araujo helped to set the tone at the start of the half with three quick buckets, but it was Hall who brought the crowd to its feet, as he slashed to the basket down the left baseline and tomahawk jammed the ball over a Wildcats player at the 17:42 mark. Senior forward Jake Shoff fouled out scoreless for the game, but he single-handedly kept the momentum with BYU as he stole the ball from WSU's Lance Allred on three consecutive possessions early in the half. The Cougars continued fend off the Wildcats and slowly built on their lead. Senior guard Mark Bigelow hit a trey at the 13:59 mark to give BYU a 22-point cushion at 61-39. Araujo then put down a breakaway dunk at the 12:09 mark to give the Cougars a 24-point edge at 67-43. Woodberry then hit another shot from downtown at the 9:20 mark to give BYU their largest lead of the game at 75-50, but that would be the Cougars' final field goal until a Garner Meads dunk with 33 seconds to go. With a bulk of its reserves finishing the game, BYU struggled offensively, as WSU finished the game on a 15-8 run. Bigelow tied a career-high with six assists on the night to go with nine points. Senior guard Luiz Lemes continues to excel in leading the team as he dished out a game-high nine assists.

BYU NOTES

COUGARS HOST CHILDREN WITH CANCER CHRISTMAS PARTY WEDNESDAY

For the seventh year, the BYU men's basketball team has joined the Children with Cancer Christmas Foundation in an effort to raise money for families who have children with cancer and participate in the Foundation's annual Christmas party those families. This year's Christmas party will be held Wednesday (Dec. 14) at 6:30 p.m. in the LaVell Edwards Stadium Cougar Room. Parents will be invited to the Cougar Room on Tuesday to choose the gifts their children will receive. The gifts will then be distributed at the party. The BYU coaching staff and their wives will be helping the Foundation shop for gifts on Monday morning. This is the seventh year BYU coaches, players and their families have volunteered for the Christmas party. Though he has been heavily involved with the Foundation during his eight years as an assistant coach at BYU, this year will be head coach Dave Rose's first opportunity to serve as honorary chairman. "This has always been a cause I feel strongly about," said BYU coach Dave Rose. "It has been such a positive experience for the coaches, players and families and is a tremendous opportunity for community members to be involved in brightening the holiday season for these children."

BYU's LAST OUTING -- Young Scores Season High in Win

PROVO -- Although the game was inconsistent, Keena Young came off the bench to score 12 points, a season high, and lead the Cougars (5-2) to a 65-46 victory over Northern Kentucky Saturday night in the Marriott Center. BYU started off strong as the team jumped out to an early 7-0 lead. Just one minute into the game, Trent Plaisted sent a turn-around jumper into the net. The shot was followed with buckets from Fernando Malaman and Rashaun Broadus. With 14 minutes remaining in the half, NKU's Mike Kimmey found the bottom of the net to put the Norse on the board for the first time. Freshman Jackson Emery countered on the very next possession with a three-pointer, which started a run of nine unanswered points for the Cougars. The run also ended with Emery, who caught the ball on a fast break, somehow finding a seam for an easy pass and subsequent layup by Lee Cummard. The Norse found some energy with eight minutes remaining in the half, going on a 14-2 run to narrow the gap to seven, 24-17. The run included three buckets by Gavin Ludgood and two NKU three-pointers. Young finally stopped the run with a 10-foot jumper, followed by a quick baseline shot courtesy of Brock Reichner and a three-pointer by Malaman, Northern Kentucky's Harrison Morton scored a jumper from the left baseline as time expired in the half to give the Norse a boost going into the break, cutting the lead to 12, 35-23. Both teams struggled to gain some momentum early in the second half, but Plaisted got the Cougars going after taking a charge and then converting an up-and-under shot. Northern Kentucky did not score a field goal in the second half until the 12:51 mark. BYU executed a textbook fast break at the 10-minute mark when Jimmy Balderson sent a pass up court to Austin Ainge, who tipped it to a wide-open Emery under the basket. With just under six minutes remaining in the game, Derek Dawes received the ball in the post, spun and got fouled on an up-and-under. He converted the three-point play. NKU's Ludgood led all players with 17 points and eight rebounds. Young paced the Cougars with 12 points and six rebounds, both season highs, while Dawes added 10 points. Emery came off the bench to score eight points, grab six rebounds and dish out five assists. The Cougars shot 55.1 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from the free throw line, while the Norse made 37.8 percent of their field shots and 61.5 percent from the line.

WHAT WAS SAID AFTER THE GAME ...

BYU Head Coach Dave Rose:

-- "I thought we came out well, especially dealing with their game plan to slow things down. We did a great job guarding them for the first 10 minutes, then we let up a little and they scored some points."

-- "We've got a lot of young players, and I thought they did well adjusting to the tempo."

-- "We weren't as sharp as we'd like to have been offensively. We just could never get a flow going on the offense. I think what we are seeing is a team that is starting to grasp our concepts for a time. We just haven't been able to put it together for a full game."

Northern Kentucky Head Coach Dave Bezold

-- "This always happens when you go up a level, or two or three levels. You have to make shots early. We didn't. "I wish I had a magic wand to help us make shots, but I don't. Gavin Ludgood and Kevin Schappell played well. They got things done without speeding it up."

-- "They've got a lot of young kids that can shoot the ball. They scare the heck out of us. That young freshman kid Plaisted is good. He's going to be a heck of a player."

BYU NOTES FROM LAST OUTING

-- After using 18 different starting lineups last season, the Cougars have used the same starting five in each of the last six games (Broadus, Reichner, Balderson, Malaman, Plaisted), going 5-1 in those games.

-- Individual Career Highs: Fernando Malaman - 4 blocks; Jackson Emery - 6 rebounds, 5 assists; Brock Reichner - 5 assists (tied).

-- Individual Season Highs: Keena Young - 12 points, 6 rebounds; Derek Dawes - 10 points.

-- After scoring in double figures in each of BYU's first six games and leading the Cougars in scoring three times, Trent Plaisted recorded just 8 points against Northern Kentucky.

-- The Cougars spread the ball around well as 10 BYU players scored in the win.

-- NKU's 46 points marks the least number of points allowed by BYU since March 1, 2003 when the Cougars defeated Air Force 56-43.

-- BYU had its worst free-throw shooting night of the season against NKU as the Cougars shot just 46.2 percent (6-13) from the line; BYU's free-throw makes and attempts were also season lows. The last time BYU shot less than 50 percent from the charity stripe was Feb. 14, 2005 against Colorado State when the Cougars made just 47.1 percent from the line.

-- With the win, the Cougars are now 4-0 when leading at the half. BYU has led by an average of 10.3 points in those games, including a 12-point lead against the Norse.

-- With just 30 second-half points, the Cougars did not reach the 40-point threshold in the second period of play for the first time this season.

-- BYU's 12 turnovers mark its lowest number of the season.

-- BYU shot 65.2 percent in the first half, marking the fourth time this year that the Cougars have shot over 60 percent in a half and the third time they have done so in the first half.

-- The Cougars' first seven points of the game were scored off of Norse turnovers. BYU amassed 28 total points off of 19 NKU miscues in the win.

-- BYU held the Norse scoreless until the 14:18 mark of the first half while opening with a 7-0 run. The Cougars stretched that lead to a 22-5 advantage thanks to 82 percent shooting through the first 10 minutes. NKU responded with a 14-2 run of its own to cut the lead to 5 points but came no closer, heading into the locker room down 35-23.

-- The Norse also began the second half cold as they were held scoreless from the field until the 12:51 mark, allowing the Cougars to build a 44-24 lead.

IT STARTS AT THE POINT

BYU's Rashaun Broadus (4.9 apg) and Austin Ainge (3.4 apg) rank first and fourth, respectively, among Mountain West Conference players in assists per game average this season while helping the Cougars lead the MWC in team assists at 17.4 apg. BYU ranks 36th nationally in assists per game. The assists-to-turnovers ratio of BYU's two points guards has been significantly better in BYU's wins. Broadus and Ainge have combined for 45 assists compared to 15 turnovers in BYU's five wins while totaling 13 assists and 10 turnovers together in the Cougars' two defeats. Broadus has 26 assists and 11 turnovers in the wins with 8 assists and 6 turnovers in the losses. Ainge boasts 19 assists to only 4 turnovers in the victories while totaling 5 assists and 4 turnovers in defeat. With his overall 24 assists to 8 turnovers, Ainge currently leads all MWC players in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.00), while Broadus ranks second (2.00). In BYU's season-opening loss to Loyola Marymount the two guards combined for six assists and five turnovers, and in the loss at USC they totaled seven assists and five turnovers. Broadus and Ainge showed marked improvement in the Cougars' win at Washington State, where the two combined to dish out 10 assists while committing only two turnovers, as each posted a line of a game-high 5 assists with only one turnover. In BYU's victory over Southern Utah, they combined for 13 assists with only one turnover, as Ainge tied a career high with 8 assists without a turnover and Broadus had 3 assists and one turnover while scoring a season-best 11 points. Against Lamar, Broadus dished out a career-best 9 assists, including an assist on BYU's first six baskets, while Ainge added two assists to help BYU record a season-high 22 assists for the second straight game. Broadus recorded a team-high six assists against Boise State and the two points combined for 7 assists (4 Ainge, 3 Broadus) and only 1 turnover (Broadus) vs. Northern Kentucky.

EFFICIENCY FROM THE POST

BYU's post players are all scoring at an efficient pace this year. Derek Dawes is shooting .714 (10-of-14), Fernando Malaman has made 64.1 percent (25-of-39) of his shots, Trent Plaisted has converted 60.7 percent (37-of-61) of his attempts and Keena Young is shooting .533 (16-of-30). Only David Burgess, who has seem very limited action in his three appearances, is not making a strong percentage (1-for-6). Malaman's numbers are perhaps the most impressive to date, considering the 6-foot-9 Brazilian transfer is scoring from all over the floor, including a team-leading 75 percent success rate (9-of-12) from behind the three-point arc.

FRESHMEN CONTRIBUTE TO WING PLAY

BYU's two freshman wings are contributing. Lee Cummard is averaging 4.7 points in 12.9 minutes while shooting 50 percent from the floor and .556 on threes. He has made 5-of-9 treys, including a triple BYU's first five games. He has 8 assists with 4 turnovers. Jackson Emery has also provided valuable production in his minutes this season. He scored nine points in nine minutes at USC, all in the second half, to help fuel BYU's comeback attempt. He is shooting 55 percent from the floor, 46.2 percent from long range, and is a perfect 4-for-4 from the line while averaging 4.6 points in 11.3 minutes. He has also been a solid defender for the Cougars, often helping guard the opponent's top perimeter player.

FINALS WEEK

BYU is conducting final exams for its fall semester this week. The Cougars practice schedule will be altered to accommodate the various exam times for the players. Several different sessions of individual skill workouts were planned for Monday and Tuesday before regular team practices return Wednesday through Friday, even though not all players will be able to attend each practice. Thursday's practice time will be moved to the morning so that more players will be able to attend.

PUTTING ONE WIN IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

With its two wins last week, BYU has started its second winning streak of the season. BYU won three straight games between a season-opening loss to Loyola Marymount and a road setback at USC. Last year, BYU was able to record only one victory streak, winning three in a row in late December, during a challenging 9-21 season.

BYU AMONG MWC LEADERS

Entering this week's games, BYU leads the MWC in scoring (77.6) and assists (17.43) and is second in field goal percentage (.492) and three-point field goal percentage (.415). Individually, point guards Rashaun Broadus and Austin Ainge lead the MWC in assists (4.86 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.00 assist/turnover ratio), respectively. Broadus also ranks second to Ainge in assist-to-turnover ration (2.00) while Ainge is fourth in assists per game (3.43).

SCORING FOR THE COUGARS

BYU is averaging an MWC-leading 77.6 points, led by redshirt freshman Trent Plaisted's 14.7 points per game. The 6-foot-11 forward/center reached double figures in BYU's first six games before scoring 8 points on 4-of-5 shooting vs Northern Kentucky. He failed to reach double digits on the merits of an 0-for-4 night at the line. Junior Jimmy Balderson adds 11.3 points per game as the second Cougar to average double figures. Four different Cougars have led the team in scoring in BYU's first seven games (Plaisted three times, 20 at USC, 13 vs. Southern Utah and 19 vs. Boise State; Balderson twice, 18 vs. Loyola Marymount and 21 vs. Lamar; senior Brock Reichner, 18 at Wash. State; and junior Keena Young, 12 vs. Northern Kentucky).

THREE-POINT ACCURACY

BYU ranks 22nd in the NCAA statistics from behind the arc (.415). BYU has made 50 percent of its three-point shots in three games this year but has not shot better than 33.3 percent on threes in each of the last three games. Individually, five of the nine Cougars to attempt a trey are making 45 percent or more of their long-range attempts and three have at least 50 percent accuracy. Eight Cougars of the nine players to take a trey have made a triple. Senior Brock Reichner has made a team-best 10 triples this year. Ironically, BYU's lowest three-point percentage comes from last year's team leader in that category. Junior Jimmy Balderson, who made 42 percent of his treys last year, is currently 5-for-23 on threes (.217) after going 1-for-11 in the last three games.

MAKING YOUR GOALS

For the most part, BYU has been highly successful this year in making field goals. The Cougars rank No. 28 in field goal percentage nationally. Six Cougars are shooting 50 percent or better from the field this year, including three who are making 60 percent or better on their field goal attempts. With its win over Northern Kentucky Saturday, BYU has shot 55 percent or better as a team in four of its seven games this season. Last year BYU shot 55 percent or better only twice, while making half their shots in six of 30 games. Last year the first time the Cougars made 50 percent from the floor in a game was at Weber State when the Cougars made a season-high 60.4 percent in their 11th game of the year. BYU also topped 55 percent (.551) at New Mexico in a loss in late February.

REDSHIRTS: SAM BURGESS, VUK IVANOVIC

Junior guard Sam Burgess is redshirting this season. The 6-foot-3 guard from Alpine, Utah, is one of nine juniors on the roster this year. Fellow junior Vuk Ivanovic will also redshirt while he sits out the season due to NCAA transfer rules. Burgess scored a game-high 21 points at Cougar Tipoff, the team's annual blue-white scrimmage before a decision was reached about redshirting.