PROVO -- The Cougars split into two teams Friday and gave the fans a preview of this year's squad in the annual Cougar Tipoff as the BYU White team defeated the BYU Blue team 58-57. BYU's 2006-07 squad features nine lettermen returning and has six seniors, three juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen.

"We like watching these guys compete," said BYU head coach Dave Rose. "We split the roster with the intent of trying to have a competitive game. A lof of guys got to play, and the score was close. It was good."

The tipoff was a 40-minute game featuring a running clock until the final two minutes. The BYU Blue team consisted of Mike Rose, Vuk Ivanovic, Austin Ainge, Fernando Malaman, Jimmy Balderson, Brock Zylstra and Jonathan Tavernari. BYU White was comprised of Rashaun Broadus, Keena Young, Sam Burgess, Lee Cummard, Trent Plaisted, Jordan Cameron, Ben Murdock and Gavin MacGregor.

Freshman guard Tavernari of the Blue team led all scorers with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting and had a game-high seven rebounds. Sophomore Plaisted was the high scorer for the White team with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

Senior Rose kept the Blue team in the game when he connected on a three-pointer and pushed the ball up the court to senior Malaman for a layup on the next possession.

The White team responded quickly when junior Burgess hit a three to bring his team within one. The first half ended with the Blue team ahead 27-26.

The Blue team trailed most of the second half until senior Balderson nailed a three to put Blue up by one. Tavernari then hit a three to extend Blue's lead to 51-44, forcing White to take a timeout.

With two minutes left the White team found itself trailing by nine until Plaisted converted a three-point play, and then senior Broadus stole the inbound pass and laid the ball in. Seconds later Broadus drilled a deep three, bringing the White team within one. White's Young stole the ball and gave it up to Broadus who was fouled and hit both free throws, giving White the 58-57 win.

The Cougars will officially kick off the season next Wednesday when they head to Los Angeles to take on last year's NCAA runner-up UCLA. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PST and can be heard live on KSL Newsradio 1160 AM or 102.7 FM.

Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
BYU White vs BYU Blue
11-10-06 6:05 p.m. at Marriott Center, Provo, Utah
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VISITORS: BYU White
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
01 BROADUS, Rashaun.... *  4-8    1-4    3-3    0  0  0   1  12  0  2  0  2  32
03 YOUNG, Keena........ *  3-5    0-0    3-4    0  2  2   3   9  1  1  1  1  32
20 BURGESS, Sam........ *  1-4    1-3    0-0    0  2  2   1   3  1  1  0  0  32
30 CUMMARD, Lee........ *  4-7    1-2    0-0    1  2  3   3   9  3  2  0  0  32
44 PLAISTED, Trent..... *  6-8    1-1    2-2    0  3  3   3  15  1  2  0  2  32
05 CAMERON, Jordan.....    1-2    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   2   2  1  1  0  0  12
24 MURDOCK, Ben........    1-3    1-2    1-1    0  1  1   0   4  2  0  0  0  14
50 MACGREGOR, Gavin....    2-2    0-0    0-0    1  3  4   0   4  0  0  0  0  14
   TEAM................                         3  3  6
   Totals..............   22-39   5-12   9-10   5 17 22  13  58  9  9  1  5 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-20 50.0%   2nd Half: 12-19 63.2%   Game: 56.4%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  4-10 40.0%   2nd Half:  1-2  50.0%   Game: 41.7%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  2-2  100 %   2nd Half:  7-8  87.5%   Game: 90.0%    1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: BYU Blue
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
02 ROSE, Mike.......... *  1-5    1-4    0-0    0  0  0   2   3  0  0  0  0  32
10 IVANOVIC, Vuk....... *  4-8    0-0    4-5    2  3  5   4  12  1  1  0  1  32
13 AINGE, Austin....... *  1-4    0-2    0-0    0  0  0   0   2  5  2  0  1  32
15 MALAMAN, Fernando... *  4-9    0-0    0-0    2  2  4   1   8  0  0  1  0  27
23 BALDERSON, Jimmy.... *  1-5    1-3    8-8    0  0  0   0  11  0  0  0  2  32
31 ZYLSTRA, Brock......    2-4    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   4  0  1  0  1  25
45 TAVERNARI, Jonathan.    5-7    4-6    3-3    2  5  7   4  17  0  1  0  0  20
   TEAM................                            1  1
   Totals..............   18-42   6-16  15-16   6 11 17  11  57  6  5  1  5 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  8-21 38.1%   2nd Half: 10-21 47.6%   Game: 42.9%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-5  40.0%   2nd Half:  4-11 36.4%   Game: 37.5%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  9-9  100 %   2nd Half:  6-7  85.7%   Game: 93.8%    0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials:
Technical fouls: BYU Blue-None. BYU White-None.
Attendance:
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
BYU White....................   27   31  -   58
BYU Blue.....................   26   31  -   57
Points in the paint-BYW 20,BYB 8. Points off turnovers-BYW 4,BYB 11.
2nd chance points-BYW 14,BYB 7. Fast break points-BYW 0,BYB 0.
Bench points-BYW 10,BYB 19. Score tied-1 time. Lead changes-0 times.

Giveaways include trips to the UCLA game and a Trek Mountain Bike

PROVO -- The BYU men's basketball team will participate in the annual Cougar Tipoff on Friday at 6 p.m. in the Marriott Center. BYU will play a 40-minute blue/white scrimmage prior to the start of the women's preseason NIT contest between BYU and Idaho State at 7:30 p.m.

"This is a great opportunity for fans to have some fun, see both teams play and hear from Coach Rose," BYU Marketing Director Emily Deans said. "The doors open at 5 p.m., and the event is general admission so everyone has an equal chance at getting the best seats in the house. We're looking forward to having a great atmosphere in the Marriott Center."

Prizes will be awarded during the night, including two trips-for-two to next week's UCLA men's basketball game and a Trek Mountain Bike from Mad Dog Cycles. After the men's scrimmage, the players will meet with fans and autograph team posters.

The event is free to men's basketball season ticket holders and students with an all-sport card and a college ID. Organized, sponsored youth groups, such as young men and young women or scouts, etc., will be admitted free of charge. A family pass can be purchased for $20. Adult general admission tickets are $5, and tickets for youth (from age 5 through high school), faculty and senior citizens are $4. Fans attending the Tipoff can stay for the women's game. There is no youth group promotion for the women's game only but those attending Cougar Tipoff may stay free of charge for the women's game.

Dave Rose, the 2006 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year, will put a high-scoring, experienced team on the floor this year with four starters and nine lettermen returning, including Freshman All-American Trent Plaisted. The Cougars are expected to be among the top contenders in a tough and competitive Mountain West Conference in 2006-07. The women's team is also picked among the favorites in the MWC and enters the year ranked No. 24 nationally under the direction of 2006 MWC Coach of the Year Jeff Judkins.