The Colorado St. Rams host the ninth ranked BYU Cougars in one of the biggest games in the history of Moby Arena tonight at 7 p.m. MT on The mtn., and the game is a sell out for the first time in eight years. The Rams are looking to make a statement to say that they have joined the Mountain West elite, if they can pull off the upset against BYU. Currently, the Rams are one of the last four teams out in the latest bracket projections and ps at win over BYU should put them on the right side of the bubble. To accomplish this feat Colorado State must find an answer to the deep shooting and all-around star player Jimmer Fredette. Fredette leads the nation in scoring at 25.8 and he can beat defenders off the dribble or hit the deep three-pointer if a defender gives him space both of those aspects make it very difficult to guard Fredette.
BYU is not a one-man show as the Cougars go nine players deep who average 10 minutes per game and four who average 10 points or more per game, but after those four the scoring drops off significantly. The other key players who have the ability to be a scoring threat are Jackson Emery and Brandon Davies. Emery is also a shutdown defender who typically guards the opposing teams best guard and he averages 2.68 steals per game. Noah Hartsock is also a player to watch out is a sharp shooter from beyond arc as he makes 61 percent of his shots, but for the year his sample size is small at 14-of-23 three-point attempts.
Colorado State will have to clamp down defensively -- or attempt to run with BYU -- since the Cougars average 85 points per game compared to the 75 that the Rams average each game. The Rams will need big games from their two leading scorers in Andy Ogide and Travis Franklin; Ogide averages 15.4 points per game but he also averages 7.5 rebounds and a block per game. If the Rams are to try to keep pace with BYU, they have the depth to do so since they have 10 players who average 10 minutes per game. For Colorado State to win they must attempt to hold Fredette under his 25 point average which will be difficult since in road games Fredette is averaging 28.3 points per game. The Rams have little to lose in this game since they are a six point underdog, but a win will give them a great win to add to their NCAA tournament resume.