Cougars roaring into conference play

PROVO — When Mountain West Conference basketball media day was held in October, BYU garnered plenty of attention — for all the wrong reasons.

The media bestowed upon the Cougars the dubious distinction of being picked to finish in last place in the nine-team league. Told where his team was projected to end up, BYU guard Austin Ainge scoffed. "It's pretty bogus," he said. "We won't finish last, that's for sure."

After completing the nonconference portion of their schedule, the Cougars figure to be a team to be reckoned with in the MWC — especially considering the league is as wide open as it has been in its six-year existence.

Newcomers Trent Plaisted, Rashaun Broadus, Fernando Malaman, Lee Cummard and Jackson Emery have infused BYU with increased athleticism and intensity, while veterans Ainge, Jimmy Balderson, Brock Reichner, Derek Dawes, Mike Rose and Keena Young have provided the team leadership and solid performances. Still, the Cougars are learning to integrate their various talents and adapt to first-year coach Dave Rose's aggressive, up-tempo style.

BYU opens conference play Thursday at Air Force with a chance to prove its detractors wrong.

Not that it came as a total shock that the Cougars, who went 3-11 in conference play in 2005, were picked ninth. They were coming off a dismal 9-21 campaign, and Rose was introducing a new system and welcoming a slew of new players into the program.

"In our situation, we have returning players who haven't proven to be successful in this league, and we have a new coach," Rose said. "(The media) is not familiar with us and what we're going to do. I'll tell our team where the media picked them. But as far as motivation, we have a lot of things that will motivate us a lot more than where the media picks us. Our returning players have a lot to prove, and the new players are excited. They've worked hard to prepare to have a successful year and that's what we're going to try and have." Even back in October, the MWC's other coaches had plenty of respect for the Cougars.

"They went through a rebuilding period. Everyone reaches a point where you have to suddenly reload and get refocused and go back to winning," said Wyoming coach Steve McClain. "There's no question in my mind that Dave Rose will have that program going again. He's going to get it back. If ever there's a year where you don't care if you're picked ninth, it's this year because everybody has a chance to win it. I don't think they'll finish at the bottom. Dave Rose will do a great job at BYU."