Game 2 - Cougars to Host Utah State

Cougars to Face In-State Rival Utah State on Wednesday

After an 83-56 season-opening victory against Fresno State, No. 23 BYU (1-0) men’s basketball will host instate rival Utah State (1-0) of the Western Athletic Conference on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. MT. All-America candidate Jimmer Fredette led BYU with 24 points and eight boards in the opener and Noah Hartsock added a career-high 21 points. Utah State opened its season with a 77-65 victory over Weber State. Utah State is coached by Stew Morrill. Last season the Aggies defeated the Cougars 71-61 in Logan. Wednesday’s game can be heard live on KSL Newsradio beginning with the pregame show at 6 p.m. MT on 102.7 FM and 1160 AM out of Salt Lake City or via the Internet at KSL.com. The game will be televised live on The Mtn.

Up Next

BYU opens play in the South Padre Island Invitational when it hosts Chicago State on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. in the Marriott Center. Follow the game live via GameTracker on www.BYUCougars.com and listen live online via the KSL.com X-Stream. Upon the completion of the BYU vs. New Mexico football postgame show (4 p.m. kickoff), the game will be tape delayed on KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM out of Salt Lake City. The game will be televised live on BYUtv with live video available online at www.BYUtv.org.

Cougar Quick Hits

— No. 23 BYU is 4-2 in season openers under head coach Dave Rose, including an 83-56 win over Fresno State to open this season and the previous three season openers.

— BYU head coach Dave Rose is 128-40 in his six seasons at BYU and is the program’s all-time leader in winning percentage at .762. From 2006 through last season, he led BYU to four-straight 25-win seasons, four-straight seasons ranked in the top 25 and four-straight trips to the NCAA Tournament.

— The Cougars were ranked in the AP Preseason Poll for the first time since the 1980-81 season.

— BYU welcomes back its starting backcourt of seniors Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery. This marks the third-straight season the duo has started for Dave Rose.

— Jimmer Fredette has been named to seven preseason All-America teams (AP, ESPN.com, Sporting News, SI.com, Athlon Sports, Dick Vitale and Blue Ribbon Magazine).

— The Cougars return three starters and five other letterwinners from a squad that went 30-6 overall and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993. Two lettermen from 2007-08 also return after serving two-year missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

BYU GAME #2 FAST FACTS

No. 23 BYU (1-0) vs. Utah State (1-0)

Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010

Marriott Center

Provo, Utah

7 p.m. MT

Coaches

BYU, Dave Rose (128-40 in sixth season; same overall)

Utah State, Stew Morrill (295-99 in 13th season; 513-237 in 25th season overall)

Series

BYU leads, 135-91, Utah State defeated BYU 71-61 last season in Logan, Utah

TV

The Mtn. (Peter Young, play-by-play; Joe Cravens, game analysis)

Radio

KSL Newsradio (102.7 FM/1160 AM) and the Cougar Sports Network (6 p.m. MT pregame show — Greg Wrubell, play-by-play; Mark Durrant, game analysis)

Web

Live audio and live stats links are available on the basketball schedule page at www.byucougars.com/basketball_m/

Looking at Utah State

2010-11 Record: 1-0, 0-0

Conference: WAC

2009-10 Record: 27-8, 14-2 (1st place in WAC)

2010 Postseason: 1st Round of the NCAA Tournament

Highlights:

- Brockeith Pane (transfer from Midland JC in Texas) scored 23 points in 77-65 win over Weber State

- Tai Wesley had 19 points and 9 rebounds in win over Weber State

Coach: Stew Morrill (295-99 in 13th season at Utah State)

Utah State’s Last Outing — Aggies Open with Win over Weber State

LOGAN, Utah - Junior guard Brockeith Pane scored 23 points in his Aggie debut and senior forward Tai Wesley added 19 to lead Utah State to a 77-65 come-from-behind win against Weber State here inside a rowdy Dee Glen Smith Spectrum Saturday in both team’s season opener. For Utah State, it was its 16th-straight regular season win dating back to last year as it improved to 24-1 at home under head coach Stew Morrill against in-state competition. Utah State trailed 36-29 at the half and 45-37 with 16:01 to play following Damian Lillard’s fifth three-pointer before Utah State went on a 17-0 run over the next 5:22 as Wesley scored five straight points and Pane added eight during the spurt. WSU got within four at 63-59 with 4:46 remaining following a free throw from Lindsey Hughey, but the Aggies responded with an 11-3 run to post the 12-point win. Pane, a transfer from Midland (Texas) Junior College, scored 17 of his 23 points in the second-half for the highest scoring game by an Aggie newcomer since Jay Goodman had 33 in his Aggie debut back in 1990 against Brigham Young. Pane finished the night 6-of-11 from the field and 11-of-13 at the free throw line, and added five rebounds and four assists. Wesley just missed his 10th career double-double as he had nine rebounds to go along with his 19 points, 13 of which came after intermission, as he was 8-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 at the free throw line. Senior guard Brian Green had 10 points and a career-high tying four rebounds, while junior forward Morgan Grim added nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes in his Aggie debut after transferring from the University of Utah. Lillard led all scorers with 28 points shooting 9-of-17 from the field, 6-of-10 from three-point range and 4-of-6 at the free throw line. Weber State opened an early 5-1 lead and led by as many as seven in the first nine minutes of the game as the Wildcats made six of its first seven three-pointers. WSU took its largest lead of the half at 30-22 with 5:17 to play on a jumper by Trevor Morris. Weber State shot 50.0 percent (14-28) in the opening half including hitting 6-of-8 treys, while Utah State shot just 32.1 percent (9-28) and was 0-7 from behind the arc. USU did make 11-of-13 free throws in the first 20 minutes to keep the game within reach. Utah State finished the game by shooting 45.6 percent (26-57), despite making just 1-of-12 (.083) three-pointers. The Aggies did shoot 80.0 percent at the free throw line (24-30). Weber State shot 42.6 percent overall (23-54) including 45.0 percent from behind the arc (9-20) and 58.8 percent at the free throw line (10-17). In the second-half, the Wildcats were just 9-of-26 (.346) from the field and 3-of-12 (.250) from three. Utah State out-rebounded Weber State by 14 (26-12) in the second-half and won the rebounding battle, 41-31. USU finished the game with 14 assists, 10 turnovers and seven blocks, while WSU had 11 assists and 12 turnovers.

Series Notes

Wednesday’s game will be the 227th meeting between BYU and Utah State with the Cougars owning a 135-91 advantage. Utah State won last season’s meeting 71-61 in Logan. Cougar Coach Dave Rose is 2-2 vs. the Aggies, including 1-0 in Provo.

Record Watch

Three-Point Field Goals

1. Jonathan Tavernari (2006-10) 265

2. Mark Bigelow (1998-99, 01-04) 213

3. Jimmer Fredette (2007-present) 173

4. Mike Rose (2003-07) 163

5. Lee Cummard (2005-09) 153

6. Andy Toolson (1984-85, 87-90) 141

7. Jackson Emery (2005-06, 08-present) 140

Three-Point Field Attempts

1. Jonathan Tavernari (2006-10) 698

2. Mark Bigelow (1998-99, 01-04) 559

3. Jimmer Fredette (2007-present) 443

4. Mike Rose (2003-07) 381

T-5. Lee Cummard (2005-09) 355

T-5. Randy Reid (1992-96) 355

7. Jackson Emery (2005-06, 08-present) 352

8. Nick Sanderson (1991-93) 350

Free Throws

6. Fred Roberts (1978-82) 467

7. Michael Smith (1983-84, 86-89) 431

8. Mark Bigelow (1998-99, 01-04) 414

9. Kresimir Cosic (1970-73) 381

10. Jimmer Fredette (2007-present) 380

Free Throw Percentage

1. Tyler Haws (2009-10) .917

2. Michael Smith (1983-84, 86-89) .878

3. Jimmer Fredette (2007-present) .876

Assists

4. Marty Haws (1986-90) 502

5. Randy Reid (1992-96) 458

6. Scott Runia (1976-80) 405

7. Lee Cummard (2005-09) 372

8. Jimmer Fredette (2007-present) 363

Steals

1. Danny Ainge (1977-81) 195

2. Marty Haws (1986-90) 182

3. Jonathan Tavernari (2006-10) 165

4. Jackson Emery (2005-06, 08-present) 149

5. Scott Sinek (1981-85) 140

6. Nathan Call (1986-88, 90-92) 138

7. Russell Larson (1991-95) 131

8. Lee Cummard (2005-09) 129

9. Matt Montague (1996-97, 99-02) 124

10. Jimmer Fredette (2007-present) 120

Points

1. Danny Ainge (1977-81) 2467

2. Michael Smith (1983-84, 86-89) 2319

...

8. Mark Bigelow (1998-99, 01-04) 1715

9. Ken Roberts (1990-91, 93-96) 1652

10. Lee Cummard (2005-09) 1569

11. Jimmer Fredette (2007-present) 1555