Open GameThread: Aztechs vs. Cougars

BYU Cougars
@ SDSU Aztechs

Saturday, February 26, 2011, 12:00 PM MST
Viejas Arena

Just like I did last time I'm going to breakdown our last GameThread a little bit before the preview.

Wednesday the game thread definitely wasn't as successful as last Saturday's. We only had 46 comments from 5 people; and two of those people only commented once. I half blame myself for the week gamethread because I wasn't able to participate very much but I also attribute the fact that it was a midweek game and people tend to be busier during the week. So it's ok. We just need to keep getting people here and commenting.

So you guys may not have heard but there’s this big game Saturday. I mean two top 10 teams big; Best in the West big, possibility of top seed in the Dance big. National tv big. There will be two first round and possibly lottery picks going at it, a POY candidate, and, above all, massive bragging rights. It’s the biggest regular season game left and we get to be a part of it.

Sure, millions of people will be watching it. Millions will cheer when Jimmer Fredette hits a 30 footer. Millions will wish the game didn’t have to end. But how many of those millions will be emotionally attached to one of the teams? How many of them will go as crazy as we will when Jimmer, Jackson Emery, Brandon Davies, or whoever else hits a big shot? How many of them will be unceremoniously pulled back down to earth when D.J. Gay, Malcolm Thomas, or Kawhi Leonard make a big play? Not that many.

Now let’s stand tall and proud like the BYU fans we are and support our team. Let us cheer till our voices crack, let us jump out of our seats and hit our heads on the ceiling, and let’s be a part our great BYU basketball team.

Now because I know some of you like stats, in fact I like them myself, here they are. We all know the human polls love SDSU more than BYU, even though we beat them. But what about the computers? BYU is ranked above SDSU in RPI, Ken Pomeroy’s rankings, and Jeff Sagarin’s rankings, with a 3, 7, and 5 respectively. SDSU is 4, 10 and 7. Also, if you check out my Lots ‘o Links, BYU’s efficiency is higher on the road than at home, and SDSU’s is higher at home than on the road. So if this holds true we should see the best of both teams Saturday.

In our last game against SDSU Jimmer and Davies were the only two guys who showed up, no one else had more than 6 points. We can’t expect to win that way in San Diego. If we want to win we’ll have to hit those open looks and give a good team effort, or else SDSU will feed off their frenzied crowd and try to trample us down. We can’t let that happen.

I predict that it’ll be a close game. I’m not predicting a winner or a score, just that it’ll be close. Now let the BYU and Jimmer Show begin!