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PROVO — The BYU men's basketball team is roaring loud, and clawing its way back into contention after winning its fifth-straight West Coast Conference game last Saturday at Santa Clara, 91-81.
With two huge road victories last week, the Cougars are ready to pounce on an important opportunity to claim the top spot in the WCC as they set out to finish their four-game road trip this week with stops in Portland and Gonzaga.
"I'm excited for this weekend," head coach Dave Rose told Greg Wrubell Tuesday night at Malawi's pizza in Provo. "I think that Thursday's game in Portland is a huge challenge for our players, but we've had great, spirited practices, and I like where we are."
Heading into this crucial two-game road stint, many questions have been raised pertaining to the Cougars' health and depth on the bench, and Tuesday's practice did not fall short of drama as word spread that junior forward Nate Austin sprained his ankle.
"The x-rays are negative, which is a good sign, but Nate is a tough kid; he's done this a few times and if it stays manageable we'll look to get some productive minutes from him this weekend," Rose added.
With Austin banged up, freshman center Eric Mika, who is also battling back from injuries, will look to fill in a bigger role in the post.
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This week's player-guest was sophomore guard Kyle Collinsworth, who had a game-high 18 points Saturday night against Santa Clara.
Collinsworth, also known as "Big Russia," took a few moments to share some fond experiences of the culture and his love for borscht from his recent missionary service in Russia, but quickly transitioned into his preparation for the games ahead.
"We're taking it very seriously and not only focusing on our game plan, but we're taking it one step at a time, and we feel prepared and ready to go," Collinsworth said.
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During the question-and-answer portion of the show, Rose opened up on the incredible work that the unsung heroes of the training staff put in daily.
"All of these guys are so important to the program," Rose said. "During the time I have been coaching here, we have missed very few games as players are concerned due to their great work and they deserve a lot more credit than they receive."
Rose also noted that junior guard Matt Carlino's role off the bench has been a vital part to the Cougars' successes as of late, and continued to say that [Carlino]'s confidence and leadership both on the court and in the locker room are and will continue to be assets for this squad.
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Brandon Crow is a KSL Newsradio BYU intern
