BYU Hosts Southern Utah Thursday

PROVO -- After defeating Rice in Houston Saturday, BYU returns home to play two in-state opponents this week, starting with Southern Utah Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Marriott Center. The game will be televised on KBYU-TV, channel 11, and can be heard on KSL Newsradio 1160 AM with Greg Wrubell and Mark Durrant calling the action.

Utah State Up Next

The Cougars take on its second straight in-state opponent Saturday when the Utah State Aggies come to Provo for a 4 p.m. start in the Marriott Center. The afternoon game will be televised on KSL-TV, channel 5, as one of 12 Cougar games being produced by SportsWest Productions this season. Tom Kirkland and Craig Hislop will call the Cougar games this year. The game is one of three home 4 p.m. starts for the Cougars this season.

Game 7 Fast Facts

Teams:

Brigham Young University Cougars (4-2) -- Provo, Utah

Southern Utah University (6-2) -- Cedar City, Utah

Date: Thursday, Dec. 14, 2000

Site: Provo, Utah

Arena:Marriott Center (22,700)

Time: 7 p.m. MST

Series:

BYU leads series, 3-0

Last Meeting: BYU 92, SUU 64 (Nov. 24, 1999)

Coaches:

BYU, Steve Cleveland (47-50 in fourth year; same overall)

SUU, Bill Evans (119-119 in ninth year; same overall)

TV: KBYU-TV Channel 11 (7 p.m.)

Radio: KSL Newsradio 1160 AM (Cougar Sports Network)

Pregame Air Time -- 6:30 p.m. MST

Play-by-Play -- Greg Wrubell

Game Analyst -- Mark Durrant

BYU's Probable Starters:

Pos. # Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG

F 42 Nathan Cooper 6-6 210 Sr. 7.0 5.7

F 25 Eric Nielsen 6-9 215 Jr. 6.3 4.5

F 15 Mekeli Wesley 6-9 240 Sr. 16.3 5.8

G 24 Terrell Lyday 6-3 195 Sr. 13.8 1.8

G 31 Matt Montague 6-0 190 Jr. 5.8 3.0

SUU's Probable Starters:

Pos. # Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG

F 21 Frederick House 6-5 210 Sr. 15.4 5.3

F 33 Dan Beus 6-5 215 Jr. 9.9 7.3

C 44 John Wheeler 6-10 220 Jr. 6.5 3.9

G 22 Justin Sant 6-3 175 Jr. 9.4 2.7

G 32 Jeff Monaco 6-0 170 Sr. 17.7 2.0

Scouting Southern Utah

The Thunderbirds return four starters and nine lettermen from last year's 16-13 team that finished tied for second in the Mid-Continent Conference with a 10-6 record. This year's team is off to a 6-2 start (1-1 Mid-Continent Conference) with home wins over Weber State (78-69), Idaho State (82-64), Southern Virginia (70-61) and Cal State Sacramento (85-71) and road wins at Oral Roberts (60-56) and last Saturday at Montana (89-87). Southern Utah's two losses were both on the road. The Thunderbirds opened the year with a 94-72 loss at Arizona State, who defeated BYU handily in Tempe as well. Southern Utah won its next four games before its second loss, a 67-47 setback at UMKC. Jeff Monaco has led the Thunderbirds in scoring in five games this year and has the team's best average at 17.7 points per game. Fred House is scoring 15.4 points followed by Dan Beus at 9.9 and Justin Sant at 9.6 points per contest. Beus is pulling down a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game. The Thunderbirds are averaging 73.1 points as a team while shooting a strong 47.7 percent from the floor and a solid 39.1 percent on three-point attempts. Southern Utah makes 76 percent of its free throws. They have committed more turnovers (143) than given out assists (121). Southern Utah is coached by Bill Evans, who is to go above a .500 winning percentage with a win Thursday. With SUU's two wins last week, Evans has evened his record at 119-119 in his ninth year in Cedar City.

Series History

This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams. BYU has a 3-0 record against the Thunderbirds. This game marks the first time the two in-state teams have met in back-to-back seasons. This will be SUU's third straight year to visit the Marriott Center but the two teams did not meet as participants in the 1998 Cougar Classic. Last year BYU defeated SUU in Provo 92-64 in the season's second game. Last year's game was the first time the two teams have played a regular game that was not part of the Cougar Classic. All games in the series have been played in Provo. The closest game in the series thus far was a 15-point BYU win in 1994.

Series Results

Nov. 24, 1999

BYU def. Southern Utah in Provo, 92-66

Dec. 9, 1994

*BYU def. Southern Utah in Provo, 82-67

Dec. 11, 1994

*BYU def. Southern Utah in Provo, 108-62

* Cougar Classic

Last Meeting

BYU improved to 2-0 with its 92-64 victory over SUU in the Marriott Center. Terrell Lyday scored 15 points to lead a balanced Cougar scoring attack that featured six players in double figures. The Cougars and Thunderbirds played even over the first 10 minutes and gave the 4,518 in attendance the impression that the third meeting between the two schools might come down to the buzzer. But the Cougars began to clamp down defensively and penetrate Southern Utah's zone defense to go on a 26-6 run to close the half with a 39-25 advantage. The Cougars kept up the intensity after the break, going on a 12-3 burst to put the game's outcome out of question. BYU's offensive output also improved from its first win, by one point, as the Cougars surpassed the 90-point mark for the second straight time after doing it only once in Cleveland's previous two seasons. In addition to Lyday's 15 points, Mekeli Wesley and Silester Rivers scored 14, Michael Vranes 13, Eric Nielsen 12 and Nate Cooper 10. Nielsen was perfect in his five field goal attempts as the Cougars made 25-43 from the floor for 58 percent. They shot 42 percent from three-point range and 78 percent from the line. Lyday made two treys for the second straight game while Vranes went 3-3 from behind the arc to remain a perfect 5-5 on the year. The Cougars' inside attack was also clicking as Rivers and Wesley got to the line 10 and nine times, respectively, each making good on eight of their attempts. Point guard Matt Montague and Nathan Cooper helped get the ball inside with some nice entry passes to total five and three assists, respectively. Nielsen and Lyday each grabbed five rebounds and Rivers four. Guard Jeff Monaco had 27 points and four assists. Southern Utah shot 36 percent from the floor.

SUU Quick Facts:

General Info

Location: Cedar City, Utah

Founded: 1897

Enrollment: 6,200

Nickname: Thunderbirds

Colors: Scarlet and White

Home Arena: The Centrum

Conference: Mid-Continent

Athletic Director: Tom Douple

Basketball Info

Head Coach: Bill Evans

Alma Mater: Southern Utah, 1972

Best time to call: weekdays, 10 a.m. - Noon

Office Phone: 435-865-8063

Overall Record (Years): 113-117 (8)

Record at School (Years): 113-117 (8)

Assistant Coaches: Barret Peery, Patrick Harrington

1999-2000

Overall Record: 16-13

Conf. Record/Finish: 10-6/2nd-tie

Final Ranking/Post Season Finish: N/A

2000-2001

Lettermen Returning/Lost: 9/4

Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1

Returning Starters (last year's avg,)

Frederick House, 6-5, 210, Sr., F (14.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg)

Jeff Monaco, 6-0, 170, Sr., G (14.1 ppg, 5.1 apg)

Justin Sant, 6-2, 175, Sr., G (7.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg)

Chris Wallin, 6-11, 230, So., C (3.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg)

Media Relations

Basketball Contact: Neil Gardner

Office: 435-586-7753

Home: 435-586-1127

E-mail: gardner@suu.edu

Fax: 435-865-8037

Athletic Web Site: www.suu.edu/athletics/

2000-01 Schedule

11/17 at Arizona State 72-94 L

11/20 Weber State 78-69 W

11/25 Idaho State 82-64 W

11/27 Southern Virginia 70-61 W

11/30 at Oral Roberts 60-56 W

12/2 at UM Kansas City 47-67 L

12/6 Sacramento State 85-71 W

12/9 at Montana 89-87 W

12/14 at BYU

12/19 Western Oregon

12/22 at Utah

12/30 at Idaho State

1/4 Chicago State

1/6 Western Illinois

1/11 at Oakland (Mich.)

1/13 at Youngstown State

1/18 Valparaiso

1/20 IUPUI

1/25 UM Kansas City

1/27 at UC Riverside

2/1 at Western Illinois

2/3 at Chicago State

2/8 at Valparaiso

2/10 at IUPUI

2/15 Youngstown State

2/17 Oakland (Mich.)

2/24 Oral Roberts

3/3-7 Mid-Con Tournament

BYU TEAM NOTES

Whiting, Knight On Deck

Transfer players Trent Whiting (Utah) and Nate Knight (Kentucky) will sit out their final game Thursday vs. Southern Utah because of transfer rules before making their Cougar debuts Saturday vs. Utah State in the Marriott Center. Both players are expected to become a significant part of the Cougar rotation.

From the Floor

Eight of the nine Cougars to play Thursday vs. Florida International shot 50 percent or better from the floor. Only Nathan Cooper, who was 2-5, including 1-3 on treys, did not make half his attempts as BYU shot 56 percent for the game. BYU shot well away from the Marriott Center for the first time this year in its win over Rice at the Compaq Center in Houston. BYU made 47.8 percent of its attempts, led by Wesley's 8-11 night. Terrell Lyday and Matt Montague were the only Cougars to have trouble from the floor, shooting 4-15 and 0-4, respectively. Lyday has been in a shooting slump. He went 1-7 on three-point attempts vs. Rice and is making only 29.3 of his treys this year. He is shooting only slightly better from the floor at 31.3 percent.

Defensive Effort

BYU had perhaps its best defensive effort of the year vs. Rice. The Cougars held Rice to 30.6 shooting and made key defensive stops in the closing minutes of the game to ensure the victory. On the year, BYU is allowing its opponents a 40 percent field goal percentage while the Cougars are making 46.1 percent of their attempts.

At Home

The Cougars are 3-0 at home this year, where they have shot 56.4 percent, including 46.7 percent on threes, in the three games. The Cougars have held their opponents to 35.7 percent shooting at home (28.3 percent on treys).

More on Lyday

Despite his shooting slump, Terrell Lyday averaged 13 points in BYU's two wins last week and is averaging 13.8 overall in BYU's six games. He added 3.0 rebounds per game last week. He also was a significant contributor on the defensive end, drawing the assignment to guard Rice's top scorer Mike Wilks. Lyday has shown he's more comfortable at home this year, which could help him and the Cougars this week. In the Marriott Center he is making 44.1 percent of his field goals, including 47.1 (8-17) percent of his threes in BYU's three wins. He had his best shooting night in BYU's last home game vs. FIU, making 6-12 shots.

Steady as He Goes

Nathan Cooper stepped up for the Cougars last week, scoring 8.5 points per game in the two wins while adding a team-best 5.5 rebounds. Cooper shared team-high honors vs. Rice with four rebounds, which broke his string of having five or more rebounds in each of the previous five games this year. He is the team's third leading scorer (7.0 ppg) overall and is just one rebound behind Wesley with 34 (5.7 rpg).

60 Percent Club

BYU has six players on the team shooting 60 percent or better from the floor and one who is not far behind (Derek Dawes, 5-6, .556). After lesser-used reserves Ty Shippen (2-2, 1.000) and Dan Howard (3-4, .750), Eric Nielsen is shooting 66.7 percent (14-21), Matt Montague 65.0 percent (13-20), Nathan Cooper 61.9 percent (13-21) and Jacob Chrisman 60.9 percent (14-23).

Wesley Named MWC Player of the Week

BYU senior forward Mekeli Wesley is the Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week after leading the Cougars (4-2) to a pair of victories this past week. Wesley, a Provo, Utah (Provo HS) product, averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and shot 60 percent (15-of-25) from the field in two games. In the 78-50 victory over Florida International, he shot 50 percent (7-for-14) from the field and shared game-high scoring honors with 16 points. Wesley also grabbed four rebounds and had two steals vs. the Golden Panthers. On Saturday, he went 8-for-11 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range, and led the Cougars with 21 points in the 59-49 win at Rice. Wesley also pulled down four rebounds and had two blocks. This is Wesley's first MWC player of the week honor of this season and the second of his career.

BYU Signs Two Players in the Fall

BYU Head Basketball Coach Steve Cleveland announced Nov. 16 that two players have committed to join the Cougar program beginning next season. Cleveland has received NCAA Letters-of-Intent from all-state forward/center Jared Jensen and former all-state point guard Shawn Opunui, who had previously committed to the Cougars before departing on an LDS Church mission. A 6-foot-9, 240-pound center from Plain City, Utah, Jensen is entering his senior season at Fremont High School where he scored 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds per game as a junior. Jensen earned Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News All-State honors and Ogden Standard Examiner All-Area recognition last season while being named Team MVP of the Silver Wolves. A 4.0 student who plans to major in engineering, Jensen is a talented offensive post player who has started at Fremont High since mid-way through his freshman season. Opunui, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound point guard, previously announced his intent to play at BYU during his senior season at Orem High School. After returning from a mission, Opunui has signed to join the Cougars for the 2001-02 season. Widely regarded as the best high school point guard in Utah while at Orem High, the all-state guard scored 21.7 points per game for the Tigers while dishing out more than six assists per contest. A strong offensive player and solid defender, Opunui shot nearly 91 percent from the free throw line, third best in state history, and 40 percent on three-point attempts. His 401 assists put him on the state's top-10 all-time list.

Injuries Play Role as Three Players Redshirt the 2000-01 Season

BYU Head Basketball Coach Steve Cleveland announced Nov. 17 that three players on this year's team - Garner Meads, Jesse Pinegar and Bart Jepsen - plan to redshirt during the 2000-01 season. Meads and Pinegar are both freshmen members of last year's top-20 recruiting class while Jepsen is a sophomore who returned from an LDS Church mission this summer. All three players have experienced injuries that have factored into the decision to redshirt. Meads, a McDonald's High School All-American forward, has had multiple injuries impede his ability to practice. A knee surgery limited his basketball until late summer and a lung injury sustained in only the team's fifth practice has kept the 6-foot-8 forward from any physical activity for the past month. "After meeting with Garner and his family we have determined it is in his best interest to redshirt this season," Cleveland said. "He has not been able to condition because of his lung injury and has also missed nearly all of our practices. He plans to leave on his mission in February, which means he will not enroll in school for the Winter semester." Pinegar, who was a high school teammate of Meads' at Salt Lake City's Brighton High School, suffered a stress fracture in his left foot last week and has a sesmoid (inflamed bone) problem on his right foot. While he will be able to condition and lift weights, the 6-foot-9 forward will not be able to jump and practice for 4-6 weeks. A 6-foot-9 forward, Jepsen has planned on redshirting this year since returning from his mission this summer. While serving his two-year mission, he sustained a broken leg.

BYU's Last Outing

Giving what head coach Steve Cleveland called his team's best defensive effort of the season, BYU defeated Rice Saturday at the Compaq Center in Houston, 59-49. BYU took a 33-29 lead into the break. The Cougars increased the lead to 10 points at 39-29 with the 17:58 remaining when Wesley hit his second three-point bomb of the game, but the Owls slowly fought back into the game. Owl forward Shawn Tyndell brought Rice within three points at 39-36 after a power dunk in traffic that had him crashing down on BYU's Nathan Cooper. Rice was able to pull even with BYU at 47-47 with six minutes left after a Wilks field goal. After scoring four straight points to go up 51-47, BYU had another possession but turned the ball over with the shot clock expiring. The Owls could not take advantage, however, as BYU's defense also forced a shot clock violation on Rice's end of the court. Wesley made several strong defensive plays in the final minute to help ensure the Cougar win. After missing the front end of a one-and-one at the line, Wesley raced to the other end to block a Rice layup attempt. He blocked another attempted Owl lay-in with eight ticks left on the game clock. A Lyday spinning layup in traffic in the final minute gave BYU some comfort as they stretched the final margin to 10 points at 59-49. BYU shot 47.8 percent for the game while holding Rice to 30.6 percent shooting. Wesley led BYU with a game-high 21 points on 8-11 shooting, including 2-2 from behind the three-point arc. Lyday and Cooper added 10 points apiece and Travis Hansen eight for BYU while Wilks led three Owls in double figures with a team-best 18 points. Tyndell contributed 13 and Erik Cooper 10 in the loss.

BYU's record when . . .

BYU leads at half 4-0

Opponent leads at half 0-2

Score tied at half 0-0

BYU leads with 5 minutes left 4-0

Opponent leads with 5 min. left 0-2

BYU leads with 1 minute left 4-0

Opponent leads with 1 min. left 0-2

Score tied with 1 minute left 0-0

Game goes into overtime 0-0

BYU out rebounds opponent 2-0

Opponent out rebounds BYU 1-2

BYU and opponent tie in rebounds 1-0

BYU shoots 50 % or better 2-0

Opponent shoots 50 % or better 0-2

BYU out shoots opponent 4-0

Opponent out shoots BYU 0-2

BYU PLAYER NOTES

Mekeli Wesley (16.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg)

Last Game: Season-high 21 points with 4 rebounds, 2 blocks in 34 minutes vs. Rice.

• Wesley has shot 50 percent or better in the last two games after making an effort to not rush his shot. Shooting 34.9 percent entering last week, he improved his success rate to 44.1 percent going 8-11 vs. Rice and 7-14 vs. Florida International.

• Wesley has scored in double figures in each of BYU's six games and was the Cougars' top scorer or shared the honor in five of the six games, including both games last week when he average 18.5 points per game. Last year he had double figures in 30 of 33 games and led the Cougar in scoring in 17 games.

• Wesley made 5-6 free throws last week to improve his percentage to 78.3 (36-46). He made a string of 17 straight free throws over three games before missing his second attempt vs. ASU. His string included a perfect 12-12 night at USF.

• He has had an offensive rebound in each of the last five games and has a team-best 13 offensive boards.

WESLEY CAPSULE: A preseason All-Mountain West Conference selection, Wesley enters his senior year as the only player on the roster to have played in each of head coach Steve Cleveland's three previous seasons ... a three-year starter, he has developed into one of the top players in the Mountain West Conference with good scoring ability from both the post and the perimeter ... he earned second-team All-MWC honors as a junior and was on the WAC Newcomer Team as a freshman ... he has bulked up between his junior and senior seasons and is in the best shape of his career ... he missed part of his sophomore season while attending Salt Lake Community College for a semester and struggled to regain his freshman form ... a team captain, he returned to lead BYU in rebounding and was nine points shy of Lyday in scoring last year ... he will again be asked to provide leadership as a primary scorer and rebounder.

2000-01 BIO: Wesley had a season-high 21 points with 4 rebounds, 2 blocks in 34 minutes vs. Rice ... 16 points, 4 rebounds, season-high 3 assists in 31 minutes vs. FIU ... team-high 11 points, 7 rebounds in 30 minutes at ASU ... a season-high 20 points and 5 rebounds, 2 assists in 32 minutes vs. USF ... recorded career highs of 12 rebounds and five blocks against UCSB while recording his fifth career double double (first of season) with 11 points ... had a team-high 19 points, 3 rebounds in 21 minutes vs. Elon College, making all five of his field goal attempts.

Terrell Lyday (13.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg)

Last Game: 10 points, 3 rebounds in 37 minutes vs. Rice at the Compaq Center.

• Lyday has made a three in each of his six games this year. He has made multiple threes in four of the six games. Last year he made a two or more treys in 20 of 33 games.

• The usually accurate Lyday has been in a shooting slump this year, shooting 31.3 percent from the floor and 29.3 percent on three in six games. His biggest woes have been on the road, however. In the Marriott Center he is making 44.1 percent of his field goals, including 47.1 (8-17) percent of his threes in BYU's three wins. He had his best shooting night in BYU's last home game vs. FIU, making 6-12 shots.

• Lyday's equaled his season high of three rebounds vs. Rice Saturday. He did not have a rebound against UCSB and at USF. Lyday has had at least one rebound in the other 37 games he has played at BYU. Last year he averaged 4.0 rebounds per game.

LYDAY CAPSULE: Lyday enters his senior season after exciting Cougar fans with a strong first season upon transferring from Fresno City College ... a preseason All-Mountain West Conference selection, he is a MWC Player of the Year candidate and considered the top guard in the league ... he was named MWC Newcomer of the Year last year ... athletic with a smooth jumper, he is a scorer who can finish inside or consistently knock down shots from the outside ... quick with good hands, he is an outstanding defender who led the MWC in steals last year ... he will be a go-to player for the Cougars in his final season.

2000-01 BIO: Lyday had 10 points, 3 rebounds in 37 minutes vs. Rice at the Compaq Center ... 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 31 minutes vs. FIU ... 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 38 minutes at ASU ... 16 points, no rebounds, 1 assist in 39 minutes at USF ... team-high 21 points, no rebounds, 1 assist in 30 minutes vs. UCSB ... 9 points, 3 rebounds in 23 minutes vs. Elon College ... sat out the last exhibition with a muscle strain in his lower leg and played just over half vs. Elon.

Nathan Cooper (7.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg)

Last Game: 10 points, 4 rebounds, season-high 4 assists in 29 minutes vs. Rice.

• He has one less rebound than Wesley for team-high honors despite playing six less minutes per game. He has been very steady with five or more rebounds in every game but Rice, where he had four.

• He made 3-4 shots vs. Rice and is shooting 61.9 percent from the floor (13-21) and is 3-6 on threes. Ironically, after being last year's top Cougar from the free throw line, he is roughly the same from the charity stripe this year as he is from the floor at 65 percent (13-20), having one fewer free throw attempt with 13 makes.

COOPER CAPSULE: Cooper returns for his senior season as one of the team captains ... he is a versatile player who has a solid outside shot and a willingness to mix it up inside ... he has been considered the heart of the team because of his tough, scrappy nature and competitive desire ... he was the team's top free throw shooter last year... tendonitis in his knee limited his off-season play ... he has been a solid contributor in each of his first three seasons, both as a starter and off the bench.

2000-01 BIO: Cooper 10 points, 4 rebounds, season-high 4 assists in 29 minutes vs. Rice ... had 7 points, 7 rebounds in 21 minutes vs. FIU ... had 5 points, 5 re bounds in 19 minutes at ASU ... had 4 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists in 31 minutes at USF ... had 6 points, 6 rebounds vs. UCSB in 28 minutes ... had 10 points and 7 rebounds in 20 minutes vs. Elon College, going 3-3 from the floor, including 1-1 on threes, and hit 3-4 free throws.

Eric Nielsen (6.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg)

Last Game: 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 19 minutes vs. Rice.

• Nielsen went 3-5 vs. Rice. He has gone14-21 (.667) this year from the floor. Last year he had the eighth best season field goal percentage in BYU history at 57.8.

NIELSEN CAPSULE: Nielsen came on strong at the end of last season and is expected to be a major contributor during his junior season ... a two-year starter, he played on the 1-25 1996-97 team and, after returning from an LDS Church mission, on last year's 22-11 NIT quarterfinalist squad ... an intelligent player with a good mid-range jumper, he returns for his junior year physically much stronger and has improved his shooting.

2000-01 BIO: Nielsen had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 19 minutes vs. Rice ... 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists in season-high 32 minutes vs. FIU ... season highs of nine points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes at ASU ... 4 points, 2 rebounds in 8 minutes at USF, fouling out ... 3 points, 2 rebounds in 12 foul-trouble limited minutes vs. UCSB ... 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists in 25 minutes vs. Elon College ... 3 assists vs. Elon College matched his season high of last season.

Matt Montague (5.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.0 apg)

Last Game: No points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals in 40 minutes vs. Rice.

• He played the full 40 minutes for the first time this year vs. Houston Saturday. It is the fourth time he has played 40 minutes during his career at BYU.

• He went 0-4 and did not score for the second time in six games Saturday. He made his first eight shots of the year, including 5-5 on threes. He made 5 of his next 8 shots, 1-2 on threes, before going 0-4 Saturday to drop his field goal percentage from a sizzling 81.2 percent to a still hot 65.0 percent (13-20).

• He is still a perfect 9-9, including 4-4 on threes, in the Marriott Center this year.

• He is 6-8 (.750) on threes, doubling the total of threes he made all of last year when he was 3-12 from behind the arc.

• He has had 9 assists and 9 turnovers in his last three games after having 21 assists and only 5 turnovers in BYU's first three games.

MONTAGUE CAPSULE: Montague enters his junior season as the top assist maker on the Cougar roster ... he led the team in assists last year while starting 19 of 33 games ... prior to serving his LDS Church mission, he led the 1996-97 Cougars in assists while starting every game ... a hard-nosed competitor, he sees the floor well and is a great transition passer ... he was slowed some by an achilles injury last year and wasn't able to participate in preseason conditioning fully because of a flair up of the injury.

2000-01 BIO: Montague was 0-4 with 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals in 40 minutes vs. Rice ... 8 points, 3 rebounds, season-low 2 assists vs. FIU ... did not score and had 3 rebounds, 3 assists in 28 minutes at ASU ... made his first eight shots of the year over three games, including 5-5 on threes ... had a season-high 12 points with 2 rebounds, 6 assists in 34 minutes at USF ... 9 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists in 33 minutes vs. UCSB ... 6 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists in team-high 30 minutes vs. Elon College, going 2-2 from the floor, both three pointers, marking the first time he has made two treys in a game during his career at BYU ... also had 8 assist and no turnovers and with game-best 3 steals.

Travis Hansen (5.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg)

Last Game: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist in season-high 22 minutes vs. Rice.

• He went 2-3 to shoot 50 percent or better for the last two games (2-4 from the floor vs. FIU).

• He equaled his season high of eight points vs. Rice, also going 4-5 from the line.

HANSEN CAPSULE: Hansen enters his first season at BYU and should make an immediate impact ... he enrolled this fall after sitting out a redshirt season last year upon return from his LDS Church mission ... he played at Utah Valley State College as a freshman ... he is one of the most athletic players on the team ... he is a scorer who has nice range from outside and can slash to the basket effectively ... his explosive athleticism will be highlighted in BYU's motion offense and should improve the Cougars' team rebounding.

2000-01 BIO: Hansen had 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist in 22 minutes vs. Rice ... 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 18 minutes vs. FIU ... had 8 points, 2 rebounds in 17 minutes at ASU .... he did not score and had 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 11 minutes at USF ... had 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 18 minutes vs. UCSB ... had 4 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists in 11 minutes vs. Elon College ... After missing the final exhibition game with a groin injury, he only played limited minutes vs. Elon.

Daniel Bobik (5.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg)

Last Game: No points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal in season-low 5 minutes v. Rice.

• He took only one shot (missed three) in limited play vs. Rice after going 3-5 on threes for nine points vs. FIU. He has gotten more time at home, where he is the team's third leading scorer in its three wins with a 9.0 points per game average.

BOBIK CAPSULE: Bobik has enrolled at BYU for his freshman season after returning from an LDS Church mission to the Dominican Republic ... he was one of the first recruits to sign with BYU under Steve Cleveland ... he is an excellent shooter and good passer with good court awareness who could play either guard position ... he has worked with a personal trainer since returning from his two-year mission to prepare for the season.

2000-01 BIO: Bobik had was 0-1 (a trey attempt) with 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal in season-low 5 minutes v. Rice ... 9 points, 3 rebounds, season-high 3 assists in 20 minutes vs. FIU ... 3 points, 3 rebounds in 16 minutes at ASU ... 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 12 minutes at USF ... 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist in 9 minutes vs. UCSB ... 16 points, 1 rebound, 1 assists in 19 minutes in his college debut vs. Elon College and was 5-10 from the floor and 4-4 from the line. He had three more field goal attempts than the next closest Cougar (Terrell Lyday with 7) ... started against EA Sports (Exhibition) in place of injured Terrell Lyday and had 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists ... had 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists off the bench vs. Team Reebok.

Jacob Chrisman (6.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg)

Last Game: 2 points, no rebounds in season-low 8 minutes vs. Rice.

• He had season lows in points (2) and did not grab a rebound for the first time this year in a season-low 8 minutes vs. Rice in Houston Saturday.

• After committing 9 fouls in his 27 minutes played against USF and ASU, he has had only 2 foul in a more limited 19 minutes in the last two games.

• He has made 14-23 (.609) field goals this year.

CHRISMAN CAPSULE: Chrisman could be a significant contributor in his freshman season ... he is extremely mobile and a strong rebounder ... he is an athletic low post player who can score in multiple ways ... he has developed a nice perimeter game ... a hard worker, he has a knack for the game and finds a way to make plays both on offense and defense ... a slasher-type player who has a nice shooting touch ... he will be primarily a three but could also play some four for the Cougars.

2000-01 BIO: Chrisman had season lows of 2 points, no rebounds and 8 minutes vs. Rice ... 7 points, 4 rebounds in 11 minutes vs. FIU ... 5 points, 3 rebounds in 12 minutes at ASU ... 7 points, 4 rebounds in 15 minutes at USF ... 4 points, 1 block, 1 steal in 23 minutes vs. UCSB ... 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal, 1 assist in 20 minutes in his college debut vs. Elon College.

Derek Dawes (2.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg)

Last Game: 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block in 6 minutes vs. Rice in Houston.

• After not playing vs. FIU, he gave a nice contribution vs. Rice despite playing only six minutes. After making a block he came down the court and knocked down a long jumper on his only attempt. He also grabbed three boards.

• He had three rebounds started in place of Eric Nielsen at ASU. He came out after three minutes and only took one shot, playing a total six minutes with a personal-best 2 blocks.

• He has only taken two shots in the last three games in which he has played but is 5-9 on the year from the field.

• Despite a limited role he has been an effective rebounder. He averages 3.2 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per game.

DAWES CAPSULE: Dawes enters his first year of college basketball as one of the most sought-after centers in the West ... he is an active player who runs the floor well and is a good free throw shooter ... he could see significant time as a freshman ... he has outstanding shot blocking ability with great timing and good athleticism and size.

2000-01 BIO: Dawes had 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block in 6 minutes vs. Rice in Houston ... did not play vs. FIU ... started at ASU and did not score with 2 blocks, 1 rebound in 6 minutes ... 1 point, 1 rebound in 6 minutes at USF ... 3 points, 4 rebounds in 7 minutes vs. UCSB ... 6 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block in 12 minutes vs. Elon College in his college debut.

Dan Howard (2.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg)

Last Game: Did not play (injury).

• He had played in his last three games before injuring his knee at practice the day before the Rice game.

• He will not play Thursday. He will be out for approximately a week.

• He is 3-4 from both the floor and 2-2 from the line this year.

HOWARD CAPSULE: Howard played four games last year but redshirted after having knee surgery ... he has not had any significant game experience since last playing for his high school team in 1996 ... a hard worker, he has a knack for the ball and could be a factor in his freshman year with his size inside.

2000-01 BIO: Howard had 2 points in 4 minutes vs. FIU ... had 2 rebounds in 2 minutes at ASU ... fouled out with 4 points, no rebounds, 1 block after playing a season-high 12 minutes at USF with Eric Nielsen in foul trouble and USF putting a 7-footer on the court ... did not play vs. UCSB ... had 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 block in 5 minutes vs. Elon College.

Ty Shippen (1.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)

Last Game: Did not play vs. Rice.

• He has not played in the last two games.

• After averaging 5 minutes in BYU's two home wins, he played only one minute the next week in BYU's two road losses.

SHIPPEN CAPSULE: Shippen joins the Cougars after transferring from Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho ... he is a gifted shooter and can play either guard position ... he is married to the former Kaly Gillette, who plays on the BYU women's basketball team ... he is the younger brother of BYU women's basketball coach Trent Shippen ... he served an LDS Church mission to North Carolina.

2000-01 BIO: Shippen did not play vs. FIU or Rice ... had 1 assist in 1 minute at ASU ... he did not play at USF ... played only two minutes with one turnover vs. UCSB ... had 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists in 8 minutes vs. Elon College.

Jordan Archibald (1.0 ppg, 1.0 apg)

Last Game: Did not play.

• He has only played six minutes this year, all in the season opener vs. Elon College.

ARCHIBALD CAPSULE: Archibald redshirted last year and returns for his freshman season ... he has good size and is a good shooter ... he suffered a broken hand during the off-season and his preseason skill development and conditioning opportunities were further limited due to a fall groin pull.

2000-01 BIO: Archibald had 1 point, 1 assist in 6 minutes vs. Elon College.

Transfers Eligible Saturday vs. USU

KNIGHT CAPSULE: Knight transferred to BYU from Kentucky ... he becomes eligible to play his senior season on Dec. 16 vs. Utah State because of transfer rules ... he previously played at Utah Valley State College and Oregon State ... he is a hard-nosed player who can create problems for opponents with his ability to run the floor and post up ... he is primarily a power forward but could also play at center ... provides experience and depth to Cougar front line ... his brother Shane played for BYU and brother Travis currently plays in the NBA after a college career at Connecticut.

WHITING CAPSULE: Whiting enters his first year at BYU after transferring from Utah last year ... he will not be eligible to compete until Dec. 16th against Utah State because of transfer rules ... he only played five games at Utah last year because of injury ... a NJCAA All-American at Snow College, he can play either guard position ... expected to be a key contributor, he is a gifted outside shooter with excellent range and a conditioned athlete with a strong vertical leap.

Vranes out for the Year

Two-year starting guard Michael Vranes will miss the entire season after a foot injury required to fall surgeries. Vranes played both the point and wing for the Cougars and was the third leading scorer last season and the team's best defender on the perimeter.