For most of the Big 12 basketball season, Iowa State treated one injury after another, while Byu was relatively healthy and at full power.
But that could change Tuesday evening (7 p.m. MST, ESPN2) when cyclones n ° 10 welcome cougars n ° 23 in one of the most important competitions of the year, with regard to the sowing of the conference tournament.
In his weekly press briefing on Monday, byu coach Kevin Young said that the first year of 6 feet 9 inch Kanon could miss the confrontation between the teams equal to the fourth place in the Big 12 ranking after having undergone a left knee injury while contesting a Dunk in the middle of the first half of the 77-56 victory.
“It was not as bad as it was, which is great,” said Young. “It is a bit daily, and that’s how we are approaching.”
Although Byu (21-8, 12-6) is as deep as any team in the League, the absence of the captures could hurt because it has an average of 7.6 points and 2.3 rebounds per game and had big games in two of the most impressive victories in Byu. The native of Indiana collected 23 points during the prolongation victory of Byu on Baylor and 14 points in the upheaval 96-95 of byu de l’Arizona n ° 19.
For the second consecutive year, the clash of the state of Byu -Iowa will include two classified teams – and will have strong implications for the playoffs. The four heads of series obtain two byes in the conference tournament and do not have to play before the quarter -finals next Thursday in Kansas City.
Young said that his team and coach staff were aware of the important importance of the match, noting that assistant coach Chris Burgess remains fairly composed with these things “and transmits it, but reiterated that the cougars generally do better when they take it day after day.
“Some teams are better when they focus only on what is right in front of them. This seems to be the case with this group. So it’s a bit of how we manage the players, ”said Young. “Regarding the staff, I am quite focused on the singular. But I try to understand what is also going on the whole. »»
Regardless of what is happening Tuesday evening, or Saturday when Byu welcomes Utah in the evening senior, Byu can not do worse than a seeded n ° 5 at the T-Mobile Center. It is a surface area, given that Byu has a new coach, was chosen to finish ninth in the league and lost four of his first six conference games.
How did he meet so quickly for cougars?
“I think there are a lot of things that enter it. If I had to reduce it to a few things, I just think that belief, execution, unity, “said Young. “This is where we were able to move the needle.
“I think patience, as I learned to operate in this space (was also important). … So, all of this was the recipe, I would say, why we’re where we’re right now.
It is the most important and most difficult game of the Kevin Young era, because the state of the Iowa is 15-1 with the Hilton Coliseum of 14,356 places in Ames, Iowa, and benefits from one of the best advantages of home at home throughout university basketball.
Last year, in front of 14,267, Byu took an advance of 38-27 at halftime, but was preceded 41-25 in the second period and withered to defense of the pressure of the ISU late to give a match which he should probably win.
Byu finished with 17 reversals in the 68-63 defeat, including a late error by the leader Dallin Hall, while the ISU had only six gifts.
“This is one of the best atmospheres in which I played,” said Hall on Saturday after scoring eight points and scored six assists against Virginia-Western.
Iowa state coach TJ Otzelberger also met journalists on Monday and said that the maturity and size of the cougars in the rear tribunal, with 6-9 recruit Egor Demin operating the point, with Hall, distinguishes them.
“Number, DEMIN with basketball … As a playmaker, facilitator, it’s a unique company, that’s for sure,” he said, then noted that the double player of Big 12 in title, Richie Saunders and graduate Trevin Knell are two of the 3 best shooters of the league.
“I think this is one thing with them that you have to take into account in the equation, it is how much they get basketball,” said Otzelberger. “They have older guys. They have experienced veterans who know how to find ways to win. You do not gain six consequences in this league without having this type of experience.
“Saunders plays almost a level as high as anyone is in the conference right now in terms of filming the ball, making big games for them late, just in competition,” continued the coach.
The state of the Iowa force 15.2 reversals per game, which ranks 17th at the national level. Cyclones use these turnover to go out in transition and feed their offense. They on average 80.2 points per match, or 42 of the country.
Byu on average 81.0 points, 32nd in the country.
“I think we have to go with the state of mind that no matter what they are doing, we will be under offensive control,” said Young. “… Their defense is different from that of Virginia-Western. But at the same time, I am big on proof of concepts. We have proven that we can (mark) against good defensive teams, in particular the one whose MO must return to you. »»
Young said the turnover was “one of our weaknesses” earlier in the season, “but we are starting to use people’s assault on them. I think this is the ultimate key to the game. ”
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