BYU Plays St. Bonaventure in Championship Game of the University of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam
After winning the St. Thomas Division with victories over Toledo (71-56) Friday and Kansas State (73-64) Saturday, BYU (2-0) will face St. Bonaventure (2-0), winner of the St. John Division, in the championship game of the University of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Monday at 8:30 p.m. AST (5:30 p.m. MST). The Paradise Jam is being played in St. Thomas at the 3,000-seat Sport and Fitness Center at the University of the Virgin Islands.
The Cougars face a St. Bonaventure team that opened the tournament with a 91-78 win over Virginia Tech Friday and is coming off an 89-68 victory over Michigan Saturday. BYU and SBU are both idle Sunday when Michigan (0-1) plays Virginia Tech (0-1) and Kansas State (0-1) faces Toledo (0-1). The winners of Sunday's games will face each other Monday in the 6:15 p.m. AST (3:15 p.m. MST) game, while the two losing teams will tip off Monday's final round at 4 p.m. AST (1 p.m. MST).
The BYU vs. St. Bonaventure game will be broadcast on KSL Newsradio 1160 and the Cougar Sports Network, beginning with a one-hour pregame show. KSL's Bill Riley will call the play-by-play action with former Provo High School and Fresno State guard Brian Santiago providing game analysis. A live internet audio link is available on the official BYU athletics website, byucougars.com. The game is not being televised.
GAME 3 FAST FACTS
BYU (2-0, 0-0 MWC) vs. St. Bonaventure (2-0, 0-0 Atlantic-10)
Monday, Nov. 25, 2002
Univeristy of the Virgin Islands Sport and Fitness Center (3,000)
St. Thomas, USVI
8:30 p.m. AST (5:30 p.m. MST)
Coaches:
BYU, Steve Cleveland (87-69 in sixth year; same overall)
St. Bonaventure, Jan van Breda Kolff (19-13 in second year; 193-141 in 12th year overall)
Series:
BYU leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: BYU won 96-84, Dec. 27, 1966, at the Holiday Festival
TV:None
Radio:
KSL Newsradio 1160 AM (Cougar Sports Network)
Pregame Air Time: 7:30 p.m. AST (4:30 p.m. MST)
Play-by-Play: Bill Riley
Game Analyst: Brian Santiago
Web:Live audio link available at byucougars.com/basketball_m/ (select schedule button above)
BYU's Probable Starters:
Pos.#NameHt.Wt.Yr.PPGRPG
F3Mark Bigelow6-7195Jr.15.04.03.5 apg
F52Jared Jensen6-9250So.6.03.0
C55Rafael Araujo6-11265Jr. 5.04.5
G2Travis Hansen6-6210Sr.20.55.03.5 apg
G24Kevin Woodberry6-0170Jr.3.51.52.0 apg
BYU Reserves:
Pos.#NameHt.Wt.Yr.PPGRPG
G14Ricky Bower6-4185Jr.8.5 3.51.5 apg
G10Terry Nashif5-10165Fr.3.01.50.5 apg
G4Luiz Lemes6-3180Jr.0.01.0
F15John Allen6-7215So.5.01.0
F32Bart Jepsen6-9235Jr.0.00.0
C40Dan Howard7-0225Jr.5.52.01.5 bpg
F5Jake Shoff6-9265Jr.0.04.0
G12Marc Roberts6-3205So.----
ST. BONAVENTURE BONNIES
The Bonnies are off to a 2-0 start after opening with victories over Virginia Tech and Michigan at the Paradise Jam. Eight letterman return from last year's team including three starters. Coach Jan van Breda Kolff (193-141 in 12th year overall) guided his team to a 17-13 record in his first season at St. Bonaventure. His team earned a third-place finish in the Atlantic 10 Conference Eastern Division. Junior guard Marques Green (5-foot-7) scored 15.4 ppg last year and added 3.5 rebounds. Additional returning starters are junior swingman Patricio Prato (6-foot-5) and senior forward Robert Cheeks (6-foot-6). Prato averaged 11.8 points and 5.0 rebounds while Cheeks added 4.6 points per game. The Bonnies posted 19- and 47-point victories in their first two exhibition games against Upstate All-Stars and Greater Toronto Express. In the game against Upstate, five Bonnies scored in double figures, led by Prato with 19 points. Six players reached the double-digit mark against GT Express with Prato leading all scorers at 25. He was 4-5 from three-point range. BYU leads series 2-0. BYU last met St. Bonaventure in 1966 (96-84 win at Holiday Festival).
SERIES VS. ST. BONAVENTURE
Overall Series Record: BYU leads 2-0
BYU Record at Neutral Sites: 2-0
BYU Record under Steve Cleveland: 0-0
BYU Record in Overtime Games: N/A
Longest BYU Win Streak: 2 (1965 -- present)
Longest St. Bonaventure Win Streak: 0
Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 12 in 1965 and 1966
Largest St. Bonaventure Margin of Victory: 0
Most points scored by BYU: 99 in 1965
Most Points Scored by St. Bonaventure: 87 in 1965
12-29-65vs. St. Bonaventure99-87W
12-27-66vs. St. Bonaventure*96-84W
*Holiday Festival
BYU NOTES
POTENTIAL BEST START SINCE 1991-92
BYU has started the season 2-0 for the fourth straight year (Steve Cleveland is 6-0 in season-openers). The Cougars have a chance to have their best start since the 1991-92 season with a win Monday. BYU hasn't opened the year with three straight wins since the 1991-92 team won seven straight out of the gate. That team, like this year's team, was picked to finish fourth in the conference entering the season. The 1991-92 team went on to win the Western Athletic Conference title and finish 25-7 after losing to LSU and Shaquille O'Neal in the NCAA tournament.
HANSEN STARTS SENIOR SEASON STRONG
BYU's lone senior, guard Travis Hansen, is off to a strong start in his final campaign. He leads BYU in scoring (20.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.0 rpg), despite being ejected with 8:48 to go in Saturday's win over Kansas State. Hansen, who also shares a team-high seven assists (3.5 apg) with junior Mark Bigelow, is shooting 56.5 percent (13-23) from the floor, 80 percent (4-5) from behind the extended three-point line, and 78.6 (11-14) from the free throw line.
PLAYER PERSONNEL
With junior forward Jake Shoff seeing his first playing time of the year, all 12 players who are expected to play this year have received playing time in BYU's first two games. Shoff hadn't played in any of BYU's exhibtion contests or the opening game with Toledo due to back problems. He has had limited practice time as well since practices started in October. Sophomore guard Marc Roberts is on the trip but has not played to keep a redshirt opportunity available. Junior center Dan Howard hurt his ankle against Toledo Friday. He played 17 minutes Saturday against Kansas State and is expected to play Monday.
FOR THE RECORD
Entering Sunday's games, BYU holds the Paradise Jam tournament record for fewest average points allowed in tournament games at 60.0 ppg. The previous record was LaSalle's 62.7 points allowed over three tournament games last year. BYU's ability to maintain the record will be put to a tough test Monday when the Cougars face St. Bonaventure. The Bonnies enter Sunday's games with the biggest tournament scoring average, 90.0 ppg in their two wins. Miami of Florida held the previous mark at 80.3 ppg.
FROM BEHIND THE EXTENDED ARC
Playing the experimental three-point distance of 20 feet, six inches has not been a detriment to BYU's long-range shooting. The Cougars have made 57.7 percent of their attempts in the first two games, going 15-26 on trey attempts. All six players to attempt a shot from behind the arc have connected at least once. Travis Hansen (4-5) and Mark Bigelow (4-6) lead the way, followed by Ricky Bower (2-2), John Allen (2-3), Terry Nashif (2-3) and Kevin Woodberry (1-7). Woodberry is the only player shooting less than 66.7 percent from behind the arc.
EXPERIMENTAL RULES USED AT PARADISE JAM
The NCAA requires that certified events play with experimental rules as directed by the men's basketball rules committee. The experimental rules that will be used at the 2002 Paradise Jam are as follows:
? Moving the three-point line nine inches behind the current three-point line to create a new experimental distance of 20 feet, six inches.
? Widening the free throw lane by two feet on each side. The experimental lane will serve both as the three-second land and the free throw lane.
? Relocating the free throw lane block between the first free throw lane space adgacent to the end line and the next lane space on both sides of the lane.
SUNDAY ACTIVITIES
BYU coach Steve Cleveland will speak at a Church Fireside gathering Sunday evening at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. Thomas. Several BYU players are also expected to partcipate. Members of the team and BYU travel party attended regular church services earlier in the afternoon. In keeping with BYU's policy against Sunday play, BYU will not conduct a practice Sunday in preparation for Monday's game.
PARADISE JAM AWARDS CEREMONY MONDAY
A five-man all-tournament team and tournament MVP will be awarded at the conclusion of the BYU-St. Bonaventure game Monday evening. The player awards will be announced during a small ceremony honoring the event's team champion.
TEAM DEPARTS TUESDAY
BYU's team will return Tuesday to Salt Lake City, flying through Miami with a connection in Dallas. There is no scheduled practice Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving day. The Cougars host Rice Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Marriott Center in their next game. It is not being televised.
BREAKing THROUGH ON THE ROAD
While BYU owns the nation's longest active home winning streak at 36 games, the Cougars also finished last season having lost their last 10 games away from the Marriott Center, including two overtime defeats. BYU snapped that streak with its two wins at the Paradise Jam. BYU's prior road win was a neutral court 81-76 upset over No. 13 Stanford at the Las Vegas Showdown on Dec. 22, 2001. In true away games, BYU has lost its last 11 straight games on an opponents home court since opening last year with a 70-59 victory at the University of San Diego on Nov. 17. BYU has a chance to end that streak at Arizona State on Dec. 4.
NEUTRAL COURT
BYU is 11-7 on a neutral court under Steve Cleveland. Last year BYU was 1-1 on a neutral floor. Prior to the Paradise Jam, BYU's last neutral court game was a 62-51 loss to San Diego State at the 2002 MWC Tournament. BYU's prior neutral win was over No. 13 Stanford, 81-76, at the Las Vegas Showdown. The Cougars have won six of their last eight neutral court contests.