Previewing Pacific at BYU
By Josh Horton
Jan 25, 2014; Spokane, WA, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard
Tyler Haws(3) stretches before a game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
BYU Cougars (13-9, 5-4) at Pacific Tigers (11-8, 2-6)
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2014
Location: Marriott Center, Provo, Utah
Time: 6:00 PM PST
TV: BYUtv
Video: http://www.byutvsports.com/gameday/
LiveStats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=33650
Last Season: DNP
PROJECTED STARTERS
BYU
Pacific
BYU is fresh off a brutal stretch in which the Cougars lost back-to-back games to the Portland Pilots and the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Thankfully for Dave Rose’s squad, their next game is against Pacific, who is in last place in the conference. However, conference play in the WCC has showed us that wins are not easy to come by this season, and BYU will need to work their hardest to come out of the Marriott Center with a W.
Keys to the Game
BYU
Point Guard Play: The Cougars two point guards – Kyle Collinsworth and Matt Carlino – are among the best of tandems in the country. When they both play well at either different time or simultaneously, the Cougars are as a result more successful.
Expect Carlino and Collinsworth to run the show and rack up statistics. If they don’t BYU is more susceptible to the upset.
Pacific
Show you belong: This is a game that will not just impact Pacific’s record. This is a game that could send a message to the conference that the Pacific Tigers will not be the whipping boys in the conference this season and for years to come.
A narrow defeat or an upset victory against BYU would surely do that. The Cougars are vulnerable after a demoralizing road trip to the northwest schools. This would be the Tigers perfect chance to pounce on a top 3 school.
Matchup of the Game
Experience vs. Youth/Talent
Number of seniors on Pacific’s roster: 7. Number of seniors on BYU’s roster: 0. Number of freshman/sophomores that receive significant playing time for the Tigers: 1. For BYU: 2.
BYU features mostly juniors, while the Tigers play mostly seasoned seniors who have a multitude of experiences. The Tigers have senior leadership that the Cougars just don’t have.
However, BYU has talent, and plenty of it with Carlino, Haws, Collinsworth, Mika etc. This is a battle of two teams with different makeups. Whichever prevails will ultimately determine the winner.
Prediction
Brigham Young is too talented to lose two straight games. Pacific will give the Cougars a challenge in the first half behind a decent sized home crowd, but BYU will end up victorious. BYU 82, Pacific 67.