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Four MWC basketball teams are on national TV platforms today; Utah at Oklahoma on ESPN 2 at 2:00, Mississippi at New Mexico on Versus at 2:00, SDSU v. St. Mary's (in Anaheim) on HDNet at 2:30, and Portland at BYU on the mtn. at 8:00 tonight. KSL Newsradio's coverage of the Cougars-Pilots game starts at 7:00.
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Ohio State held off Butler earlier today, extending the Buckeyes' winning streak to 11 games, dating back to last season's NIT title. BYU has the second longest current winning streak nationally at 9 games and counting. Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Clemson also have 9-game win streaks going into play today. Minnesota has also won nine in a row, but doesn't play again until the 20th.
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BYU leads the MWC in seven statistical categories, and they're all pretty important ones: field goal percentage, 3pfg made, scoring margin, rebound margin, assists, assist/turnover ratio and turnover margin.
BYU is also second in both scoring offense and scoring defense, 3pfg percentage defense, rebounding defense, steals and defensive rebounds. That makes the Cougars first or second in 13 of 19 stat categories.
The only category in which BYU is worse than 5th is offensive rebounding--which is quite alright, since the top teams in that category are not surprisingly the worst shooting teams in the conference. Safe to say the Cougars would rather make their shots than have to grab their misses.
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Individually, Lee Cummard is showing why the Player of the Year Award is his to lose. He is in the top ten in scoring (2), fg percentage (6), free throw percentage (3), rebounding (8), offensive rebounding (9) and assist/turnover ratio (10). He would probably like his assist and steal numbers to be a little higher, but when you compare his impact with that of the preseason co-Player of the Year Wink Adams, it's not even close: Adams only cracks the MWC top ten in steals, minutes played and defensive rebounds.
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Then there's this: four of BYU's five starters (Fredette, Emery, Cummard and Tavernari) are in the top ten in assist/turnover ratio. No wonder BYU's offense is operating like a well-oiled high-octane machine (81ppg on 51% shooting; assists on 62% of all field goals).
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You may have missed this, but Pete Maravich's long-standing record for free throws made in an NCAA game was tied last night in Stephen F. Austin's 112-111 triple overtime win over North Dakota State. NDSU's Ben Woodside made 30/35 free throws and scored 60 in the loss. Maravich set his record of 30 ftm in December of 1969.
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Just saw the closing seconds of #23 Kansas' 61-60 home loss to UMass. Not only does it create an opening in the Top 25, but it ends the Jayhawks' home win streak at 30. BYU's 52-game home streak is 12 games clear of second place Notre Dame (home to Boston U. tonight).
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I came across Fox Sports Net's 30-minute program, "Huskies All-Access: The Steve Sarkisian Era is Underway" last night. It was a pretty interesting behind-the-scenes look at Sark's first two days on the job as Washington's new head coach, tracing his steps through meetings, his stadium and facilities tour and his introductory press conference.
The former BYU (and yes, Saskatchewan Roughrider) quarterback came across as self-assured and not at all overwhelmed by the prospects of altering the fortunes of a program that has hit rock-bottom in the Pac 10.
As he was shown talking about the hiring of coaches he will bring on to his staff at UW, I couldn't help but wonder if he has called Provo to get Lavell Edwards' thoughts...
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BYU foe Northern Iowa is playing in the FCS Semifinals today.
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