BYU opens Big 12 play on New Year's Eve

The Cougars face Arizona State on Tuesday afternoon at the Marriott Center.

Author Tyson Jex
BYU opens Big 12 play on New Year's EveBYU opens Big 12 play on New Year's Eve
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PROVO - BYU opens Big 12 play on New Year's Eve when the Cougars host Arizona State at the Marriott Center. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT.

WHERE TO WATCH
Tuesday's contest will be on ESPN2 with Roxy Bernstein and Sean Farnham on the call. 

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NEW OLD FRIENDS
Tuesday will be the 46th all-time meeting between the two old WAC foes with BYU holding a 28-22 advantage, including a 21-4 mark in games played in Provo. The Cougars have won five straight at the Marriott Center over the Sun Devils, including a 75-71 win on Dec. 8, 2009.

Tuesday's contest will be their first meeting as conference opponents since Feb. 16, 1978, a 76-75 setback for the Cougars. Danny Ainge scored a game-high 21 points for BYU in the loss, going 9-of-14 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line.

PROTECTING HOME COURT
BYU enters Tuesday's showdown against Arizona State on a 13-game home win streak, tied for the 14th longest in NCAA Division I men's basketball. The Cougars are 7-0 at home this season after winning their final six home games of the Big 12 schedule last season. 

PHENOMENAL FRESHMEN
BYU is one of eight schools in NCAA Division I men's basketball to have multiple freshmen that have scored 20 or more points in a single game this season, following Kanon Catchings' career-high 21-point performance against Florida A&M. The Cougars are joined by Arkansas, Baylor, Duke, Illinois, Rutgers, Syracuse and Texas on the list. 

Tuesday could also showcase three of the six freshmen in the Big 12 that have scored 20-plus this season: BYU's Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings, ASU's Joson Sanon. 

THE HALL PASS
In BYU's win over Florida A&M on Dec. 20, Dallin Hall finished with a season-high 14 points, seven assists and no turnovers marking the seventh time in his career that he has had at least five assists and zero turnovers. With that performance, Hall also moved up to 17th on the all-time assist list passing Jackson Emery (2005-06, 08-11) and Scott Sinek (1981-85). 

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NOTABLE NUMBERS
In BYU's win over the Rattlers, Trevin Knell picked up his 90th career victory, tied for the 16th most in program history, as the senior finished with 10 points going 2-of-6 from 3-point range. The native of North Salt Lake owns the 14th highest winning percentage in program history, with BYU winning 72.0 percent of the games he has played in.

WINNING IS FUN
A win on Tuesday would make Kevin Young the fourth-fastest head coach in program history to win 10 games, needing only 12 contests to acheive the feat. Floyd Millett and E.L. Roberts went 10-0 in their first 10 games in charge, while Alvin Twitchell needed 11 games to reach the mark. 

STEADY AS HE GOES
After going 1-of-1 from the free throw line against Florida A&M, Fousseyni Traore extended his consecutive free throw streak to 16. The senior, who also ranks 38th on the all-time BYU scoring list, is shooting a team-high 92.3 percent from the free throw line this season.