BYU basketball: Third meeting with Gonzaga in less than a year carries a lot of weight

SPOKANE, Wash. — Since last March, BYU and Gonzaga have met twice — in the NCAA Tournament at the Pepsi Center in Denver, and at the Marriott Center earlier this month.

Both times, the Cougars prevailed in relatively easy fashion.

The first win propelled BYU into the Sweet 16 for the first time in 30 years. The second gave the Cougars their most meaningful victory of the season, and came on the heels of a disappointing loss at home to Saint Mary's.

Thursday night (9 p.m. MST, ESPN2), BYU makes its first trip to the 6,000-seat McCarthey Center, nicknamed "The Kennel." The Bulldogs have posted a 102-7 record there since the facility opened in 2004.

"I hear it's crazy. But we'll definitely be ready for it," BYU's Charles Abouo said of playing at Gonzaga. "We love playing on the road. It'll be a much tougher test than the previous two times, on their home floor. It's definitely going to be a tough game for us."

And there's a lot at stake, with West Coast Conference Tournament and NCAA Tournament implications.

The Cougars are looking for a conference crown in their inaugural season in the league, while the 'Zags have won 11 consecutive regular-season WCC titles.

"It's a big game because it still keeps you in the hunt for a league championship and BYU is an NCAA Tournament team," Bulldog coach Mark Few told the Spokane Spokesman-Review.

BYU (23-6, 11-3) and Gonzaga (21-5, 11-3) are tied for second place in the WCC standings, trailing league-leading Saint Mary's (12-2), and jockeying for seeding in the conference tournament in Las Vegas. The top two seeds will receive a bye into the semifinals of the WCC Tournament, which tips off next week.

Many NCAA Tournament prognosticators say that if the Cougars beat the Bulldogs, they will be a lock for an at-large spot in the Big Dance.

"We're really excited," said Cougar guard Matt Carlino. "This is crunch time now, going into the conference tournament."

In BYU's 83-73 victory over Gonzaga on Feb. 2 at the Marriott Center, the Cougars controlled the game most of the way, forcing 19 turnovers and recording 14 steals.

But BYU coach Dave Rose knows that Gonzaga is a much better team at The Kennel.