Marriott Center
Provo, Utah
Time: Friday, 7:00 p.m. MST
TV: BYUtv
Setting The Tone. This is it. Game one. The beginning of a months-long marathon toward March. It all starts here. Tonight could set the tone for the rest of the season. Many have disregarded Tennessee State as a mere pushover, a lamb being sent to ritual slaughter at the hands of BYU. Let us hope the Cougars are not among those foolish few, because make no mistake, the Tigers are good. No, they're not Kentucky or anything close to it — but they're not a pushover either. This is a team that is returning all but two players from a squad that won 20 games last year and was the only team to beat mid-major juggernaut Murray State during the regular season. This is not Candy Land. BYU should win this game comfortably, but they will have to play well to do it. If they come ready to play, they can make a statement by beating a good team and starting the season off on the right foot. If they come in distracted and lethargic, things could go south quickly. Let's all hope for the former.
Covering Covington. You may not know who Robert Covington is, but let me assure you, the man can ball. A 6-foot-9 small forward with quickness and a sweet shooting stroke, he has been moving up NBA draft boards in recent months after a strong showing at this summer's elite camps. Covington's versatility presents a problem for BYU, who will be playing their first game without Charles Abouo. The departed defensive stopper would have been a natural fit to check the Tigers' lead option, given his strength and athleticism, and his absence creates a vulnerability in this particular matchup. Covington is likely too quick for post players like Brandon Davies to guard man-to-man, and too big to be effectively defended by one of BYU's smaller perimeter players. As a result, coach Dave Rose will likely employ a hefty helping of zone defense in an attempt to neutralize the issue. Outside of Covington (who shot 45 percent from deep last year), Tennessee State does not shoot the ball particularly well, so this strategy may well pan out. But if somebody gets hot from the outside? Watch out.
Unleash The Davies. With this new season comes the realization that it's also Brandon Davies' last in Provo, which means it's time for him to finally own this team. We have certainly seen flashes of excellence in years past, and he looked like a much-improved player in this season's exhibition contests, but he now needs to bring his "A" game all the time. He is the number one option on this team, and he will be asked to carry it night after night. He can't afford to take possessions off anymore. Put simply, Davies needs to dominate. And that should start tonight. Brandon should get little resistance from the Tiger bigs, and he needs to assert himself early and often on both ends of the floor. This is his time. He needs to seize it.
As I said in the opener, BYU should win this game by a sizable margin — but they have to show up. If they come out tentative or complacent, Robert Covington could very well find a way to beat them almost single-handedly. But if they play well and play together, they should be fine. If history tells us anything, it's that Rose will have his boys ready to go. And so it begins...
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