Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
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On the eve of his team's NIT meeting with Washington, BYU head coach Dave Rose said that forward Josh Sharp--who started 22 of 32 games this season--is a question mark for Tuesday night's game with an Achilles tendon injury.
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Rose said Sharp was injured during a practice last week, and is listed as 'day-to-day.' Sharp was in a walking boot and did not practice today.
"We just don't know right now," said Rose when asked about the likelihood of Sharp playing against the Huskies. Rose called the injury "the only negative thing about practice last week," which featured a Saturday scrimmage that the coach said "went right down to the wire."
"I was really impressed with our guys," said Rose about his team's effort during a week in which BYU's postseason plans were still as yet unknown. "You get in a spot where you don't really know for sure if you're going to get to play again, and we had five really good days of practice where the guys competed hard (and) played hard."
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BYU's Sunday night NIT bid put Rose in the postseason for a school record-extending eighth consecutive year; his first BYU team went to the NIT in 2006, with each of the ensuing six seasons ending in the NCAA Tournament.
"We look forward to the challenge," said Rose on Monday after practice at the Marriott Center. "I know our guys are really excited to be playing another game, to be in the NIT, and to have a home game."
Of his players, Rose said "they've been rewarded for a very successful season, and a really hard week of practice, not knowing what was going to happen."
"We're really looking forward to tomorrow night."
BYU guard Tyler Haws echoed the coach's sentiments, saying "you'll take what you can get, and you just want to keep playing basketball as long as you can."
"This is a great tournament with lots of good teams," said Haws, "so we're looking to get a few wins."
Center Brandon Davies said Rose called the NIT berth "a 'getting-out-of-jail'-type feeling...we're just more than happy to have the opportunity to play again, no matter who we are playing."
"We're focused on just getting this one win."
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About the matchup with the Huskies, Rose called Washington "a great basketball program. I've known (head coach) Lorenzo (Romar) for years, and...when I found out we were playing them, I was really excited for this game."
"The matchup is a little difficult," said Rose. "They're a really athletic, deep team--especially on that front line. The guards are pretty strong, and good shooters."
Rose said that "size will be an issue in this game," and confirmed he would likely start the same lineup that opened BYU's last game, v. San Diego: Matt Carlino, Brock Zylstra, Tyler Haws, Nate Austin and Brandon Davies. Zylstra (6'6", 210 lbs.) is a bigger two-guard, while Austin helps Davies counter a Washington front line that starts 6'9", 255 lb. Shawn Kemp, Jr. and 7'0", 260 lb. Aziz N'Diaye.
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The Huskies' leading scorer is C.J. Wilcox, who prepped at Pleasant Grove HS, and whose father Craig is a former Cougar.
"That's an interesting storyline to the game," Rose said on Monday. "C.J. had a great high school career here in the county, and I think that all our guys who played here know him, and obviously he and Tyler (Haws) are really close. And with his dad playing here, this will obviously be a pretty special opportunity for him."
"We'll look forward to playing him. He's a really talented player, and has had a great career. I'm really happy for him and the success that he has had there at Washington."
Rose noted that he actively recruited Wilcox early in the process during his prep days at PG, and said today that "we would love to have him. He's a terrific player."
Haws, who played with and against Wilcox since both were in sixth grade, said "it will be a fun rematch, for sure."
"We've had lots of great battles over the years, and I have a lot of respect for C.J. and his family...it will be fun to see him again and play against him again."
Haws said of Wilcox that "he's a shooter; you can't leave him open anywhere on the court." Asked if he expects to guard Wilcox tomorrow night, Haws said "I'll probably end up on him a little bit...that will be a fun matchup."
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With a victory over Washington, bracket mechanics would result in BYU playing a second home game, regardless of who wins the Wednesday meeting between 2 seed Tennessee and 7 seed Mercer. As the higher seed, Tennessee, with a win, would be expected to host a Second Round game. A venue conflict in Knoxville, however, would send the Volunteers west with a victory.
Rose said the incentive for a second straight home game is not part of the pre-game motivation heading into Tuesday's game with the Huskies.
"The most important thing is the preparation for this game," said Rose, "and to go out and play, compete, and try to get a win, and then deal with what happens next. We didn't have any conversation about what happens after the game; let's just compete here and see if we can get a win, and see where it goes."
"Obviously, from the reports, it looks like it could be a pretty good situation, but all of our focus is on this game, and to play more consistently than we did the last time out."
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Rose said that he and Romar "have talked quite a few times" about starting up a series between the two teams, and "a couple of times thought we had a series put together." Rose said scheduling options included neutral-neutral, home-and-home and home-home-neutral, "but none of them ever worked out."
Asked if hosting Washington now makes it more likely a deal for future meetings will get done down the line, Rose said, with a laugh, "I know we're gonna play tomorrow, so that's good."
"I'm sure (Lorenzo and I) will talk about the future again this summer, when we go through our scheduling model. But it's nice to know that...we've got a really good program coming in here for a First Round (NIT) game."
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You can hear post-practice interviews with Rose, Haws and Davies, in "Cougar Cuts," above left.
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Tuesday night's game tips at 7:30 p.m. MT, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 on KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM/1160 AM and BYU Radio (SiriusXM 143). The game will be televised on ESPN.
Tickets for the game can be bought at BYU's online ticketing website, or by calling 801.422.2981 (BYU1). All tickets are $10, and no upper-bowl seats will be made available until all below-concourse seats are sold. BYU students receive free admission with their All-Sport passes; students without an All-Sport pass can purchase tickets for $4.
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