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Show THE DAILY UTAH CHR ONICLE SPORTS Could Cougars Really Get the Best of Utes? BRANDON WINN Chronicle Sports Editor Cougar s Making Rivalry Interesting Again STERLING CLIFFORD Chronicle Sports Writer The Marriott Center ticket office reports there are plenty of good tickets left for Saturday's Utah-BYgame in U Provo. Maybe it's just been a tough week, and the fans just haven't had time to get down there and buy their tickets. It could also be that, with Utah on a win streak over the Cougars the longest by either team in the rivalry and with the Utes in the top 25 while BYU isn't in the top five in the Mountain West, maybe nobody's inter ested in the game. But with the way BYU has played lately, and given the Utes' struggle on the road this year, it really is a surprise that almost 8,000 tickets are unsold. Utah swept three games from the Cougars a season ago, winning by 20 points, 25 points, and 19 points. But this is a different BYU team. After struggling to put points on the board, rebound, play defense effective ly or dc just about anything on the court the last couple of seasons, BYU seems to be back on the way up. Mekeli Wesley is averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds a game for BYU this season. Silester Rivers is adding eight points off the bench, and the Cougars have a weapon in junior Terrell Ledsy. 7 A transfer from Fresno City College, Leday is averaging 17 points a game, and has scored 30 in each of the last two games, both of which were important contributions for the Cougars. Against UNLV, Leday added n rebounds and six steals. The Cougars are 2 overall this in conference play after season, and a big upset win over UNLV. Already they have matched their win total for all of last season. BYU has yet to lose at home, though it has also not yet played an opponent of note in Provo. The Cougars' biggest win at. home this season came against Weber State, a team that accounts for one of the Utes' three losses. There were few surprises in the Utes' conference-openin- g victory over 12-- -0 San Diego State. The Utes were picked by just about everybody at the beginning of the year to win the MWC, and they handed the loss. Aztecs a predictable The only unexpected thing Monday was the play of center Nate Althoff. who dumped a career-hig- h 20 points onSDSU. Hanno Mottola, the Utes leading scorer since his return in missed 14 minutes of the second half Monday with foul trouble and scored only four points, 20 under his average since returning to the team. Though BYU has certainly turned out to be a better team than anyone expected, whether or not the Cougars are good enough to take on Utah remains to be seen. Utah coach Rick Majerus thinks ihey are. "They're playing really well with veteran players and a good blend of an inside and outside game," Majerus said. "I think they'll play real hard and IS "2. a' t 1 .' see UTES, page 10 What has happened to our beloved Cougars? You know, the boys in blue who were kicked around "more often than a soccer ball in Brazil? The Utes are heading to Provo Saturday afternoon and, well, for the first time in I don't know. how long the fans are actually forced to wear Why? Because they are sweating this one. The Cougars art and, unlike years past, feel confident about their chances against Rick Majerus. Yes, Majerus, the man whose made beating the Cougars as regular as concerns for his heart. Utah has won 10 straight games against BYU, but No. n doesn't look like it'll be gift wrapped this time around. Normally, as a Utah student, I would write a column trying to comfort the fears of all the Ute supporters. It's okay, I'd say, the BYU players will have more trouble anti-perspira- 11- -2 putting the basketball through the hoop than they do at finding acade- mic freedom. I'm not going to do that this season. Actually, I think BYU has a legitimate chance at beating the Utes. I'm not saying it's going to happen, for I have grown accustomed to my legs and don't want them removed by an angry mob of U students, but BYU possesses the one thing that has given Utah fits this season. Quickness. Almost all of the BYU players can push the ball up the floor and finish. Just like Louisville can, just like Kentucky can and just like Weber State can. Utah might be big and tall and would surely bloody the court with defensive-oriente- d BYU in a game, but BYU coach Steve Cleveland will do his best not to let slow-pace- that d, happen-I-n years past, BYU has been suckered into those types of games. And, wouldn't ya' know it, the Cougars limped to the locker room for stitches each time. Thsy couldn't force the Utes to run because they didn't own enough athletes or enough discipline. That has changed at least the part about the athletes. The guardiine of Terrell Lyday and Michael Vranes couid give Gary Colbert and Jeremy Kiihon fits. They are quick and can spot up from anywhere on the court and fire. Worst of all, Cleveland lets them shoot like they're in the middle of a Schwarzenegger movie. Lyday partieularly has been impressive. He's like a little bed bug the way he wiggles around the court, but he gets open. And when he does, if he's oh, splash. That's the sound the Utes will tte hearing when the basketball stings the nets. Alex Jensen and the Utes have won 10 straight against the BYU Cougars. They play Saturday CHRONICLE SPORTS EDITOR In Provo. BRANDON WINN Nate Althoff will have a sorious height advantage as'aliist BYU. WINNCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU 561-704- see WINH, paye 1 10 |