Rose, Cougars seek to end lengthy Spectrum spell


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The last time BYU won a basketball game at Utah State's Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, head coach Dave Rose was still a Cougar assistant coach, while his oldest current player wasn't yet in middle school.

It was almost 15 years ago--Jan. 8, 2000--that BYU last defeated the Aggies on their home hardwoods. Six successive meetings in Logan have ended with USU emerging victorious, most recently in the 2011-12 season.

Since Rose became head coach in 2005-06, the BYU-Utah State series stands 5-3 in BYU's favor, with all three Aggie wins in Logan. Three of the five Cougar victories have taken place at the Marriott Center, with the other two occurring at Salt Lake City's Energy Solutions Arena.

Meeting with the media on Monday at the Marriott Center, before his team's late-afternoon departure for Logan, Rose addressed the annual rivalry game--his team's first true away game of the season.

"This will be interesting," said Rose. "The first (away game) is always interesting to see how your guys respond. Hopefully we'll be able to handle the first eight to ten minutes of a real hostile environment."

"One thing that we've found over the years is that if you can be successful offensively, it keeps (the fans) maybe not as much into the game, and that will be a big part for us. Hopefully we can get off to a good start."

Speaking of the in-state games in general, Rose noted that "the games are great. The fans really enjoy them. It's not the funnest thing for the coaches but the players love it, and the fans love it, so hopefully we can keep doing them."

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BYU's current roster features only four players who have visited Utah State in a Cougar uniform: Tyler Haws, who scored eight points in a 71-61 loss to the Aggies during his freshman season of 2009-10, and the trio of Nate Austin, Josh Sharp and Anson Winder, who as freshmen in 2011-12 were on the BYU team that lost 69-62 in Logan.

"Crazy environment," says Haws of his lone Spectrum experience, "but I think it's one of the best in college basketball. It's fun, the fans are really, really close...it feels like they are right on top of you. We're looking forward to it."

"It was a zoo," Winder recalls of his one appearance at Utah State. "I wasn't prepared for that. It was a crazy experience. Coach has brought up before that he hasn't won there in a while, and it won't be easy; we know we're going to get their best shot. So, if we can pull out a win, that would be great."

"We'll get the fans' best shot and the players' best shot."

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The current BYU team also includes two players who have experienced a Spectrum gameday on the Aggie side of the equation: senior Skyler Halford, and junior Kyle Davis. Halford is a former preferred walk-on at USU who after a redshirt season in Logan and an LDS mission, transferred to Salt Lake Community College and then BYU. Davis was a standout for the Aggies last season before deciding to leave for BYU. He is sitting out this season under NCAA transfer restrictions.

"I'm really excited," said Halford on Monday. "I was there my freshman year, and I've seen the environment that they have up at the Spectrum, and there's nothing quite like it. I'm excited to be able to play in that game and just thrive off of the hostile environment. I love it, I enjoy it. I hope we go up there and hit shots and just take it to them."

Junior transfer Chase Fischer said the most hostile college crowd before which he has played was found at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium--a venue he visited as an ACC foe while playing for Wake Forest. He said he has been brought up to speed on what to expect in Logan.

"Everybody's kinda hyped it up a lot," said Fischer. "(The hype is) probably true. Kyle Davis has kind of told us what we're in for and I'm expecting a hostile crowd. But I think that's fun to play in an atmosphere like that; I think it kinda gets you going...it's a road game for us and they play really well at home, so we're in for a dogfight."

"Their fans are crazy," added Halford. "They're just so invested, and when you have so much invested in a game like this, and it's a rivalry, it just makes it that much more fun."

"When I was up there, that was the number one thing all the seniors talked about: 'this is our home floor and we never lose here.' That's kind of their mindset going into these games. They thrive off the crowd. We just need to keep (the fans) out of the game, and do what we do best, and that's hit shots. When you're on the road and you're knocking down shots, it quiets the crowd, helps you stay in a good groove and just keep them out of the game."

Haws observed that sometimes, you can't help but let the crowd into your consciousness--or at least one particular member of the crowd.

"The only time I ever laughed at the free throw line was at Utah State. (USU superfan) 'Wild Bill' stood up and was shaking, and I couldn't help but laugh. It's just fun."

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BYU (5-2) at Utah State (3-2) tips at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. You can hear radio pregame coverage starting at 6:00 on KSL Newsradio. The Cougars then return to action on Saturday afternoon versus Hawai'i at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City.

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