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Show ftedskins Cougars await first meeting in Provo By Geoff Towns r' Athletic Conference "ames the Redskin jl! team will return to conference competition Saturday when it travels to Provo for the first meeting of the season with Brigham Young University. The regionally televised contest will get under way at 1:30 p.m. The Redskins will be attempting to reach the .500 mark again this season. They are currently 9-10 after last week's 95-92 loss to Utah State. The Cougars are 11-9 for the season, and both teams will be going for their third WAC victory against two losses. Usually Qose Utah-BYU games have traditionally been close battles. In the past two seasons, the widest margin of victory for either team was three points. In 1966-67, BYU won both meetings with the Redskins, 64-62 and 61-60. Last ft the Utes edged the Cougars 91-89 in Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse and lost in Provo 93-90. Statistically, Coach Stan Watts' Cougars have a slight edge over the Redskins, not only in the number of wins, but in scoring (84.6 to 82.0 points per game) and rebounding (53.2 to 51.2). BYU's starting five has a 68.3 scoring average, and all five are averaging in double figures. The Ute's first unit is scoring at a 62.3 clip, and three are in double figures for the season. Offenses Differ But the big difference in the two teams is not numbers, but the type of offense each team has. The Cougars have a balanced attack in which six men share the job of scoring. The leading Cougar scorer, center Paul Ruffner, is averaging only 16.6 points per game. But the sixth scorer, Scott Warner, is still in double figures at 10.6. The Utes' scoring and rebounding strength is found mainly in two players, sophomores Mike Newlin and Ken Gardner. Newlin is averaging 20.6 points per game for the season, while Gardner is the leading rebounder in the WAC and is second on the team in scoring with a 14.7 average. Not The Only Threats Although Newlin and Gardner are definitely the pace-setters of the team, they are by no means the only threats. Center Jim Mahler has also been hitting the mark of late, and his consistent rebounding has been a major factor in all Ute games. Joe English, Dennis Cook and Walt Hawkins have also been keys to Redskin victories. If the Cougars can maintain the hot shooting hand they had last weekend against Utah State and St. Francis, they will be tough to beat. Their point total against the two teams averaged out to 105 points per game, and they hit better than 50 per cent from the floor on both occasions. Freshmen Follow Varsity Also for the first time this season, the Redskin and Cougar freshman teams will clash following the Varsity contest. The Ute frosh, under Coach George Fisher, are 5-5 after losing to Utah State Saturday. The BYU freshmen have managed an 8-5 record, and were responsible for USU's first loss of the season. |