Renewed Rams await BYU
February 13th, 2008, 3:15 am Hobbies Ideas
FORT COLLINS, Colo. So, what’s in a center?
Everything, according to BYU coach Dave Rose, whose Cougars face Colorado State tonight in Moby Gym and in this second meeting, the Rams will have back 7-foot center Stuart Creason, who has missed most of the season with a broken foot.
“He makes all the difference in the world,” said Rose. “He gives them a post-presence which leads to touches and the ability to go inside out with an outside shooter like Marcus Walker. It gives a team rebounds and defensively he is able to block or change shots.”
The Cougars (18-5, 7-1) and Rams (6-17, 0-9) tip off tonight at 7 p.m. The game will not be televised. The Rams are winless in league play, in part due to the absence of Creason since league play began.
“The last time we played them, we prepared as if we’d be facing him. We’ll do the same thing this time around,” said Rose. The Cougars defeated CSU 92-73 in Provo on Jan. 12.
Rose said MWC leaders UNLV and SDSU’s last games with the Rams came down to the last possession, and both ended up with tough wins. “CSU played them really tough. We have to make sure our mindset is straight and that we understand it will be a battle.”
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CSU coach Tim Miles said Creason was a little more sore than usual after the last game in Las Vegas. But he received a text message from the big guy, “He told us no worries,” said Miles.
Trent Plaisted, BYU’s junior 6-11 center, knows Creason very well, and he respects the big man.
“I think he’s a really good player. He has a lot of experience, and he’s really fundamentally sound.
“If you watch him on film, if you make a mistake or relax at all on defense, he’ll kill you. He’s big and he’s strong. He knows how to position, and he shoots a real high percentage. I don’t how many shots he gets, it may not be 15 shots a game, but I know when he does shoot, most times it’s going in the basket.”
Plaisted said Creason’s experience is evident in all the little things he does on the court and if you aren’t careful, he can screen or block you out so others can make a play. “You really have to be on your toes if he’s guarding you.”
Plaisted said he also respects the other seven-footer, Ronnie Aguilar. “I don’t know how many minutes Creason will play since he’s just getting back into games, but they can rotate those two and really establish a presence inside.”
Back on January 29 in Fort Collins, SDSU beat the Rams at the wire, 83-82.
The Rebels, once the hottest team in the league before losing to Utah last week, played the Rams in Moby Gym back on Jan. 5 and were lucky to escape with a 65-62 win.
In Provo, the Cougars had a tough time slowing down Walker, a transfer who has been CSU’s most consistent offensive weapon. In that game, Walker had 24 points on 8 of 15 shots and he added 4 of 5 from the line.
The Cougars can expect the Rams to get after them with some forms of extended defensive pressure including full-court presses since that was the key to UNLV’s big win over BYU in Las Vegas.
Miles praised BYU’s Lee Cummard for his overall game and pointed out Sam Burgess and Ben Murdock are unselfish players who work hard and don’t care who gets credit.
“They’re like two Danny Ainges out there doing their thing,” he said, complimenting BYU’s offense that shot 60 percent against TCU last week.
“They actually pass the ball; that’s a great concept on offense,” said Miles. “They move the ball well, screen and share the ball, and they do it very well.”
COUGAR NOTES: Since tonight’s game will not be on TV, BYU sent its own video man, Chad Bunn to film the game so the staff would have a quality print of the action. The Rams are fresh off a 68-51 loss at UNLV … Today’s game is the 129th meeting in a series that dates back to 1938 … BYU leads the series 82-46 and has won 11 of the last 15.
BYU on the air
BYU (18-5, 7-1)at CSU (6-17, 0-9)
Tonight, 7 p.m.
TV: None Radio: 1160 AM
Tags: fish, game, lai, mindset, perceRelated posts
