2009-10 Opponent Preview: Southern
As the 2009-10 season men’s basketball season approaches, BYUCougars.com continues to preview each of the Cougars’ opponents. Today’s preview—Southern.
Game Preview
BYU and Southern will play for the first time in the history of the series on Nov. 24 in Provo. The Cougars will have played in Hawaii four days prior and it will be the third home game of the season for BYU.
Season Outlook
Head coach Rob Spivery enters his fifth season at the helm and is 46-76, including 8-23 in 2008-09. The Jaguars were 8-23 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, good enough for a fifth-place finish. Spivery led Southern to a regular season league title in 2005-06 with a 15-3 league record and 20-13 overall.
Spivery returns an experienced squad including five players who started at least 11 games in 2008-09. Senior guard Steffon Wiley averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 boards while leading the team in steals with 38 despite missing seven games. Barry Honore’ also returns after averaging 8.8 points and 4.5 boards while adding a team-best 22 blocked shots. Spivery’s most difficult task will be replacing Chris Davis, who led the team in scoring at 14.8 points per game.
Player to Watch
Steffon Wiley, G, Sr., 6-1, 185
Wiley returns for his senior season to lead the Jags after averaging 9.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 2008-09. He will be counted on to pick up the scoring slack left by Chris Davis, who led the team with 14.8 points per game.
Other Key Players
Game Implications
The Cougars are 61-3 at the Marriot Center in four seasons under Dave Rose. BYU will be returning from playing at Hawaii the weekend before. Southern was 2-13 on the road in 2008-09.
Jags at a Glance
Head Coach | Rob Spivery |
At Southern | 5th year / 46-76 |
2008-09 Record | 8-23 overall, 8-10 Southwestern Athletic Conference |
Home/Road/Neutral | 6-7, 2-13, 0-3 |
Starters Ret/Lost | 4/2 |
Lettermen Ret/Lost | 13/2 |
2008-09 Team Stats
Points/Game | 63.1 |
Points Allowed/Game | 70.1 |
Field Goal % | .406 |
Opponent FG % | .455 |
Rebounds/Game | 37.1 |
Assists/Game | 10.6 |
Steals/Game | 5.6 |
Blocks/Game | 2.5 |
Returning Stat Leaders
Points/Game | Steffon Wiley, 9.7 |
Rebounds/Game | Douglas Scott, 7.2 |
Assists/Game | Steffon Wiley, 2.7 |
Steals | Steffon Wiley, 38 |
Blocks | Barry Honore’, 22 |
Three-pointers | Jazz Williams, 31 |
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