boise st/byu...

[IE]

Bronco men not fooled by BYU's record

The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 12-08-2004

The men's basketball teams at Boise State and BYU are attempting to reload after postseason appearances last spring.

Each team lost key veterans from last season and are attempting to find new stars and build a case for postseason play with a strong non-conference showing.

So far, BSU is 4-2 and BYU is 1-5. Advantage BSU, right?

"Don't let their record fool you," BSU coach Greg Graham said. "They've played as good of a schedule as anyone in the country."

BYU's only win came against Division II Chaminade, but the Cougars have losses to North Carolina, Cal, Stanford, Utah State and USC. Those teams are a combined 21-9.

BYU has played only one game at home, and its RPI of 277 is better than BSU's despite having no wins against Division I teams.

The Broncos have beaten winless Idaho twice and have yet to beat a team with a winning record. BSU's RPI is 297.

"They've played high-quality opponents, and we've played some lower-conference opponents," BSU guard Coby Karl said. "So you're not going to be able to tell (who's better) going into the game. I think it's just going to be a battle."

Graham said BYU's schedule probably has hardened the Cougars and has them hungry for a win. On the flip side, his team was able to win some games and gain much-needed confidence after struggling in exhibition games.

"Scheduling is one of those half-full, half-empty things," Graham said. "You do what you think is best, and hopefully it will make you better in the long run."

Tonight's game in the 22,700-seat Marriott Center is expected to attract around 10,000 fans, the largest crowd many of BSU's first-year players have played in front of. It should be a hostile environment, with Cougar backers probably eager to jeer BSU after BYU lost to the Broncos in football two years in a row.

"I'm not really concerned about how many people are going to be in the stands," BSU forward Kareem Lloyd said. "I'm more concerned with what we're doing on the court."

The Broncos showed some road toughness last Saturday when they came from behind to win at Idaho. Karl said tonight's climate should bring

out the best in BSU, which went 10-5 on the road last year and is 1-1 away from home this season.

"I think with a venue like that, we're going to be ready to go," Karl said. "All of our guys are tough guys and love the spotlight and pressure. This is going to be a prime opportunity."

It's third straight road game for the Broncos, and they hope this trip to Provo is better than the last one. Less than two weeks ago, BSU flew to Salt Lake City and stayed in Provo for its game at Utah Valley State, located in Orem.

The Broncos were humiliated in that game 74-55.

"That game ? we just didn't play," Lloyd said.

The forward said his team learned a valuable lesson from that defeat and expects to take BYU's best shot tonight.

"They're 1-5 ? they are coming to get us," Lloyd said. "They are not going to hold back. I'm sure they are expecting to win just like we're expecting to win."

BSU again will be without starting point guard Eric Lane, who was cleared to start practicing without contact this week. Lane was injured in a downtown stabbing two weeks ago.

Graham said he's hoping Lane will be ready for next week's home games against Eastern Washington (Dec. 15) and Oregon State (Dec. 18).

 

[IE]

Y. desperate for Division I win

Cougars are off to worst start (1-5) since '97-98 season

By Jeff Call
Deseret Morning News

PROVO ? More than two weeks into the season, the BYU basketball team is still searching for a victory over a Division I opponent.
And the Cougars (1-5) are getting desperate.
Riding a three-game losing streak and off to its worst start since the 1997-98 campaign, BYU has another chance to notch a win tonight (7 p.m.) when it hosts Boise State.
"Our whole focus has to be Wednesday night," said Cougar coach Steve Cleveland. "Boise State is a team that's capable of scoring. We just have to find a way to win Wednesday ? that's the bottom line ? and get this thing turned."
BYU has faced some tough foes ? North Carolina, Stanford, California, Utah State and Southern California ? all resulting in losses. The Cougars' lone victory came against Division II foe Chaminade in their final game of the Maui Invitational.
"We're getting beat by good teams, but it's no fun losing," said Cougar guard Jimmy Balderson, who scored a career-high 22 points, including five 3-pointers, in BYU's defeat last Saturday at USC.
BYU had its chances to knock off the Trojans, roaring back from a 17-point second half deficit. In the end, the Cougars fell, 87-82.
"It would have been great to have it turn (against USC)," Cleveland said, "but we just didn't get it done."
Despite the win over BYU, USC fired coach Henry Bibby on Monday. The team is reportedly beset by player dissension.
The Cougars, meanwhile, are hoping to build on their strong second half against the Trojans.
"Hopefully we can carry this momentum to start getting some wins," Balderson said. "I hope no one gives up on us. We've got good individual players once we start playing together and everybody plays their roles."
Boise State (4-2) is coming off of a 70-67 win at Idaho last Saturday as center Jason Ellis, a 6-foot-7 center, scored a career-high 23 points. For his efforts, he was named the Western Athletic Conference player of the week. Ellis is averaging 10.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
The Broncos' leading scorer this season is forward Jermaine Blackburn, who averages 14.8 points. Guard Coby Karl averages 10.8.
The last time Boise State visited this area, on Nov. 27, they were blown out by Utah Valley State College, 74-55.
Including tonight's game, the Cougars have five of their next seven games at home. BYU hosts Utah State (Dec. 18), North Carolina State (Dec. 21), Southern Utah (Dec. 28) and Santa Clara (Dec. 31).
The Cougars' other two contests this month will be played in Salt Lake City (Saturday against Washington State at the Delta Center) and in Ogden (on Dec. 23 against Weber State).

 

[IE]

Cougs in dire need of win against Boise State

The Salt Lake Tribune

PROVO - No basketball game in December can be classified as a must-win, but Brigham Young practically faces that situation tonight against Boise State.
Nursing fragile confidence that comes from a 1-5 record, with no wins against Division I teams, the embattled Cougars cannot afford another disappointing performance. Certainly not against a team that Utah Valley State College drilled last month.
"We just have to find a way to win," said coach Steve Cleveland.
The Cougars are coming off their most impressive performance this season, a five-point loss at Southern Cal. They overcame a 17-point deficit in the second half but gave away the lead in the final minutes.
Still, it was something positive.
"We're all a little bit on edge," Cleveland said. "But being on edge is what hopefully will help us to turn the corner and finally become the team we can become."
Continuing a pattern this season, Cleveland toyed with several combinations. In the closing minutes against USC, he put senior Mike Hall at point guard with sophomores Mike Rose, Derek Dawes, Jimmy Balderson and Garner Meads.
Replacing senior point guard Terry Nashif, sophomore Austin Ainge made his first college start. Nashif


responded off the bench with his best game at BYU, dishing out 10 assists in 25 minutes.
For the first time this season, Dawes played more minutes (20) than starting center Jared Jensen (16). Two games into burning his redshirt season, Balderson made five three-pointers and scored 22 points.
Cleveland may experiment with different rotations again tonight.
At this point, the eight-year BYU coach is willing to try anything to shake off the team's worst start since his first season in 1997-98.
"We need to play hard and just take it a possession at a time," Cleveland said. "Sometimes we're yelling and screaming and sometimes we're not. We're trying a little bit of everything."