BYU basketball: Cougars face tough test
BYU tries to end 15 years of NCAA futility
BYU is on a mission to win its first NCAA Tournament game in 15 years when the No. 8 seed Cougars take on No. 9 Texas A&M from the Big 12 this evening in the Honda Center.
The Cougars (27-7) and Aggies (24-10) tip off at 5:25 p.m. (MT). The game will be televised on CBS.
"We're looking forward to playing a very talented Texas A&M team," said Rose. "And I know our players will be ready, and it will be a real competitive game."
In the Cougars, A&M coach Mark Turgeon said his team will face a squad he respects. "If they played in the Big 12, they'd still be an NCAA Tournament team, they're that good," said Turgeon.
"I showed our players tape of them beating Louisville, hanging with North Carolina and Michigan State. They know they are playing a very intelligent, tough, experienced team."
First rounds haven't been kind to the Cougars since the early '90s. In years past, the Cougars have been assigned to play defending national champions UConn and Syracuse and had to face Cincinnati — all No. 5 seeds. Back in 1992, a very talented BYU team got Shaquille O'Neil and LSU.
All ended in quick one-and-dones.
In the Aggies, once a team ranked in the Top 10 at 15-1, the Cougars will face a formidable power inside game and the core of players who have given Texas A&M the best three seasons in school history.
The Aggies' frontcourt is led by freshman DeAndre Jordan, a 7-footer, and Joseph Jones and Bryan Davis, both 6-9. While they start Davis and Jones and bring Jordan off the bench, it's usually a lineup with two big post players on the floor with that combination. And they've got three more power players if needed.
"They remind me of TCU in our league of how they play," said Rose. "I think that they're a lot more physical at the guard line, have more depth at the guard line, and in the post they're bigger, stronger players. But they play the same way."
Trent Plaisted, who'll join reserve Chris Miles and freshman Chris Collinsworth in trying to stop the Aggie inside game, said the Texans are talented.
"Their inside guys are big and physical," Plaisted said. "They're relentless on the offensive glass, and their guards are capable of really getting going and lighting it up from outside as well."
The last Cougar team to win an NCAA game was the 1993 squad led by Robbie and Randy Reid, Mark Durrant, Gary Trost and Kevin Nixon. They defeated SMU before losing to Kansas and Greg Ostertag.
Plaisted, playing in his second NCAA Tournament, said he can't explain previous BYU failures.
"That's all in the past, and we're looking forward to this year," he said. "And this is the same seed as we had a year ago, and we're in a good situation to hopefully come out and play well and get a win."
Turgeon told the media his Aggies will need to play transition defense, defend the 3-point line and contain BYU's speed and passing ability. "We've got to defend Lee Cummard, keep him off the offensive glass, not allow him easy jump shots and keep him from passing like he's used to. We have a lot of bodies to put on Trent Plaisted."
Cougars in the NCAA tournament
(8) BYU Cougars (27-7) vs. (9) Texas A&M Aggies (24-10)
Today: 5:25 p.m. (MDT) TV: CBS Radio: 1160 AM, 102.7 FM
E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com
Recent comments
THE COUGARS ARE OUT!!! (Again)
RISE AND SHOUT! | March 20, 2008 at 7:42 p.m.
Your sub headline can't possibly be right - no NCAA wins since...
Dale Newton | March 20, 2008 at 6:27 p.m.
what a fraud BYU is, they'll get pounded by A & M. When's...
UNLV fan | March 20, 2008 at 5:54 p.m.
