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Thursday night, BYU will play no. 2 ranked Gonzaga at the Marriott Center.
For BYU's five seniors, it will be a chance to be honored for their contributions to BYU basketball.
Brandon Davies, Brock Zylstra, and Craig Cusick will be focused on the Gonzaga task at hand, and Stephen Rogers and Chris Collinsworth, who had to retire from basketball from lingering injuries, will get a final opportunity to step on the Marriott Center floor to support their teammates.
Each player was a stand-out player in high school, but each player's path to Senior Night has been varied.
I wouldn't rather be any place else. I love my teammate, I love the coaching staff, it's been a great ride here at BYU.
–Brandon Davies
Head coach Dave Rose said, "they all came in at different times, they all came in, in different situations, but they were all able to accomplish a lot of the same things. They all played in NCAA Tournament games, all of them were able to win a conference championship--at least one--and those are things that those kids will be able to remember forever."
Senior center Brandon Davies' career, for better or worse, has been the most publicized. During his sophomore year, he was suspended from the team for honor code violations and missed a magical run into the Sweet 16 with Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery. "All the hard stuff is in my past, it's all been positive from here on out. It's pointless to even look back."
Davies could have transferred after the suspension, but decided to return for his junior and senior seasons.
"it's been a long ride, but it's been nothing but positive for me... I wouldn't rather be any place else. I love my teammate, I love the coaching staff, it's been a great ride here at BYU." said Davies.
Rose is pleased with Davies' progression over the years, "for him to be able to rise to the occasion each time, after a real disappointment after his sophomore year, I think it shows a lot of character. I think it shows a real bright future for him to be able to overcome tough obstacles and finish strong."
Senior guard Craig Cusick walked onto the Cougar basketball team and has transformed into its starting two-guard.
"I couldn't be more grateful for the career I've been able to have at BYU because it has been a dream come true."
Cusick cherishes the relationships he has forged with his fellow seniors. "They're some of my best buddies. Many kids dream about this, we realize that, so we want to make sure we finish strong this season."
Senior forward Brock Zylstra began his career at BYU in 2006 as a redshirt freshman. After returning from a two year LDS mission, Zystra didn't see significant playing time until his junior season. The versatile Zylstra is one of the best shooters on the team and has played every position on the court except for center.
Davies is likely the only player to have a chance to play professionally, but there are still games to played for these collegians, beginning with the one of the best teams in the nation, Gonzaga.
