BYU's Stephen Rogers is dressed for tonight's game vs. San Diego after missing last Sat's game with knee issues.
BYU's Noah Hartsock participated in the shootaround this morning, is expected to give it a go as of 90 minutes before tip.
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BYU senior forward Noah Hartsock?s status for tonight?s West Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinal showdown against San Diego at the Orleans Arena remains up-in-the-air.
After No. 6 seed San Diego dispatched No. 7 Pepperdine, 76-54, Thursday night, Cougar assistant coach Mark Pope told reporters that Hartsock, who has been nursing a knee sprain for nearly two weeks, may or may not be ready to go against the Toreros.
?Noah?s really minute-to-minute,? Pope said. ?We?ll see if he can go, and if he can go, what he can give us. We?ll have to see (Friday night).?
?We are preparing as if Noah will play,? said San Diego coach Bill Grier. ?He?s had a heck of a career and certainly deserves all the honors. I really feel that he?s the heart and soul of that team. I?m sure he?s going to do everything he can to be out on that floor so we have to prepare like he?s going to play.?
If Hartsock can?t play, the Cougars are likely to have a group of players man that position.
?Whatever happens, Nate (Austin) will get time at the four, Brock (Zylstra) will get time at the four, Josh (Sharp) will get time at the four,? Pope said. ?We?ll have to do it as a team effort.?
BYU swept San Diego in the regular season. The Cougars defeated the Toreros San Diego in Provo, 88-52, on Dec. 31, and downed them in San Diego, 82-63, on Jan. 16.
But Pope said San Diego is a much different team since those meetings.
?They?ve just been playing fantastic their last five or six games. They?re playing at a higher level than they were when we played them during the season.?
Freshman guard Johnny Dee exploded for a career-high 30 points, including six 3-pointers, against Pepperdine.
?We are really excited (to play BYU),? Dee said. ?We didn?t play too well against then the first two times so it will be nice to have another chance at them.?
Pope points out that the Toreros are not a one-man team. Forwards Dennis Kramer and Ken Rancifer and guard Chris Anderson are all players the Cougars are concerned about.
?We were paying attention to four or five guys, now we have to pay attention to six or seven or eight guys because they?ve had more guys step in and make huge plays,? Pope said. ?They?re getting it from a lot of different places. (On Thursday), it was Johnny Dee, who is their marquee guy. But they have several guys making plays and putting up good numbers. They?re finding themselves right now.?
Kramer averages 8.3 points and 4.2 rebounds, and he scored 15 and had eight rebounds against BYU in San Diego.
?He?s a really good player, a really versatile player,? Pope said. ?You have to find a way to guard him in the post. And he can knock down 3-point shots. He?s a tough guard for us. He?s a challenge for us in man and in zone.?
The winner of Friday?s game faces No. 2 seed Gonzaga Saturday (9 p.m., MST, ESPNU).
BYU's Noah Hartsock participated in the shootaround this morning, is expected to give it a go as of 90 minutes before tip.
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earlier...
BYU senior forward Noah Hartsock?s status for tonight?s West Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinal showdown against San Diego at the Orleans Arena remains up-in-the-air.
After No. 6 seed San Diego dispatched No. 7 Pepperdine, 76-54, Thursday night, Cougar assistant coach Mark Pope told reporters that Hartsock, who has been nursing a knee sprain for nearly two weeks, may or may not be ready to go against the Toreros.
?Noah?s really minute-to-minute,? Pope said. ?We?ll see if he can go, and if he can go, what he can give us. We?ll have to see (Friday night).?
?We are preparing as if Noah will play,? said San Diego coach Bill Grier. ?He?s had a heck of a career and certainly deserves all the honors. I really feel that he?s the heart and soul of that team. I?m sure he?s going to do everything he can to be out on that floor so we have to prepare like he?s going to play.?
If Hartsock can?t play, the Cougars are likely to have a group of players man that position.
?Whatever happens, Nate (Austin) will get time at the four, Brock (Zylstra) will get time at the four, Josh (Sharp) will get time at the four,? Pope said. ?We?ll have to do it as a team effort.?
BYU swept San Diego in the regular season. The Cougars defeated the Toreros San Diego in Provo, 88-52, on Dec. 31, and downed them in San Diego, 82-63, on Jan. 16.
But Pope said San Diego is a much different team since those meetings.
?They?ve just been playing fantastic their last five or six games. They?re playing at a higher level than they were when we played them during the season.?
Freshman guard Johnny Dee exploded for a career-high 30 points, including six 3-pointers, against Pepperdine.
?We are really excited (to play BYU),? Dee said. ?We didn?t play too well against then the first two times so it will be nice to have another chance at them.?
Pope points out that the Toreros are not a one-man team. Forwards Dennis Kramer and Ken Rancifer and guard Chris Anderson are all players the Cougars are concerned about.
?We were paying attention to four or five guys, now we have to pay attention to six or seven or eight guys because they?ve had more guys step in and make huge plays,? Pope said. ?They?re getting it from a lot of different places. (On Thursday), it was Johnny Dee, who is their marquee guy. But they have several guys making plays and putting up good numbers. They?re finding themselves right now.?
Kramer averages 8.3 points and 4.2 rebounds, and he scored 15 and had eight rebounds against BYU in San Diego.
?He?s a really good player, a really versatile player,? Pope said. ?You have to find a way to guard him in the post. And he can knock down 3-point shots. He?s a tough guard for us. He?s a challenge for us in man and in zone.?
The winner of Friday?s game faces No. 2 seed Gonzaga Saturday (9 p.m., MST, ESPNU).
