BYU vs. Gonzaga

Big game tomorrow, and a lot of it will depend on whether Noah is able to play. The optimistic in me says he'll be there. He's a tough guy and I'm sure he wants to play. Perhaps Rose is just keeping GU on their toes.



If Noah is good to go, I like our chances. We've got Sacre's number. This game will come down to keeping Harris and Pangos in check, which is why I hope Rose starts Winder once again. Winder out on the perimeter with his quick hands gives us an opportunity to fluster Pangos. If we can get in Pangos' head early, create some early turnovers, and rotate out on his 3-point shooting we should be good to go against him.



I've watched several GU home games where Pangos got rattled. It's possible on his home court.



Harris will either show up or he won't. Davies, Noah, Austin, Abouo, and possibly even Sharp will have their hands full down low. We have a tendency to collapse a bit too much down low, opening up the perimeter. If Sacre and Harris get going, it's going to be a long night.



On offense we'll need all we can get from Davies and Noah. GU will likely pressure Carlino as much as they can to create turnovers. This is a game where Carlino needs to be patient while at the same time aggressive. I like that Carlino has been taking it into the paint a bit more lately. This is not the game for him to force or rush shots.



10 - 15 points from Abouo would go a long way too.

It's game day. I would say I feel exactly as I did for our game last year @SDSU where I simply could not imagine us beating a top ten team at home, one that would be so physically and mentally charged to take it to us and avenge their loss in our cave. It was one of the most incredible nights. Life hasn't usually given me such wins in such senarios, so I'm optimistic, but very anxious.



Last year there was no drama at this time as to whether or not we would go Dancing as we had that locked up well before now.



Go Cougars! Punch our ticket tonight!

We need at least 3 to 4 players to come up big on the offense. Harstock and Davies a must. Carlino is necessary (keep inside outside pressure going). If all 3 hit double figures, and we add Abouo scoring in double figures, we secure a win. Limiting turnovers and not taking silly, low percentage shots is essential - Charles are you listening.



BTW - I feel good about our chances as we beat USF AF their house while the Zags stumbled. Shows that USF has really improved dramatically and is another team besides LMU that could be a factor in the WCC tourney.



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We win if Noah can play quality minutes the whole game.

Hope Rose remembers how important Winder and Harrison's defense was in winning at home vs Gonzaga. Translation: play Cusick only when Carlino needs a breather



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We win if Abouo doesn't go nuts (in a bad way) like he did at the end of the USF game when he was jacking up shot after shot.



Also necessary is Davies and Hartsock having a good game.



Carlino needs to not try and beat the press by himself. He tends to try to bull rush through the press, and gets himself in trouble.



Limit turnovers as well, and get rebounds.

I am really excited to see what the team can bring to this big game. Will Carlino come up big again? Will Rose play his best defensive players in pressure man for most of the game? Can we rattle their young backcourt?

I can't remember which game I was watching last night, but after a call that didn't sit well with the locals, they started chanting in unison, "Bull%&#!, Bull%&#!, Bull%&#!". The Gonzaga fans had done likewise on a call when they came to the MC. Here I believed the GU fans had chosen that expression simply because they were trying to be offensive toward BYU. Such a reaction was problably born out of the many years of Puktah and Wyoming fans chanting FU while they were trying to be offensive. I didn't know that it has become a standard chant among a lot of fans to respond to bad calls by officials. It's the old, "Don't take offense where none was intended."

Hartsock and Rogers are both warming up.



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Good to hear. Rogers represents a huge X-factor for us. A 6'8" 3 that can shoot, defend the perimeter decently with his length, and help rebound



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If Rogers is not really, really, really rusty, I will be impressed. Hopefully Hartsock isn't stiff and sore. As he warms up, hopefully he loosens up.



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No Noah = No Good. Get Cusick out for Winder already



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Zylstra = Poo; totally useless tonight. Why Rose didn't play Winder more tonight is beyond me



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Subs were what 2-18? That ain't gonna get it done....And I can't help but think that Noah is worth more than 10 points to this team....Zags got lucky with Noah going down

BoiseBYU wrote:
Subs were what 2-18? That ain't gonna get it done....And I can't help but think that Noah is worth more than 10 points to this team....Zags got lucky with Noah going down

Agreed, our team looked very unsettled without Noah on the floor



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The only good thing about this loss is that it sets us up to face Gonzaga again in the WCC tourney and we would avoid SMC and LMU in the early rounds if everything holds true



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Frustrating game. We got stops. We limited Sacre. We forced GU to turn the ball over, but couldn't buy a bucket if our life depended on it. With Noah at full strength we would have won that one.



We just saw next year's team tonight and unless someone else besides Davies & Carlino starts making buckets 2013 is going to be a long season.



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Okay, so I missed the game last night, but was looking at the box score. All I can say is: What the heck is up with the free throw disparity?????



BYU: 9-16

GU: 36-44



Seriously? GU shot 28 more ft's than BYU... They made 27 more attempts than BYU. I don't care what happens in game, there is no way that BYU could foul GU that many more times than they were fouled. Again I didn't see the game, but that looks like biased reffing to me. Not blaming the loss on that, but when a team has 28 more free throw attempts than their opponent, something reeks.

Officals were poor but I am used to that in this conf. The problem I have is playing Cusick and zylstra. Did rose not look at the film when buy beat them. Winder has the speed to stay in front of guards and nit get blown by. I don't think Cusick and zylstra could start of west Jordan of lone peak this year let alone play quality min for a D1 program. Until rose figuers out these two cant play BYU will not win games against athletic teams. I can't believe how many open missed shots those two had all night and for Brock it has been going on for about a month now. If that was Charles of carlino or winder missing those shots rose would have them sitting on the bench within a min.

When BYU has there non athletic team in the game like rose did most the game, referring to the same two guys it reminds me of a few years back when buy only played walk ons at defensive back and would give up 500 Yards passing each game cause it looked like linebackers playing corner and safety because they were so slow.



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Winder was in foul trouble early forcing coach Rose to have to play Zylstra longer than normal.