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Provo • BYU garnered national buzz for ending No. 3-ranked Gonzaga's 41-game home winning streak last February at the Kennel, but the team that will face the Zags in the rematch on Thursday in Spokane doesn't look anything like that one.

Only three current players — seniors Kyle Collinsworth and Chase Fischer and sophomore Corbin Kaufusi ­— played in that upset last year. They've spent the past few days preparing their teammates for what should be a wild scene at McCarthey Activity Center — especially because GU's students returned to school on Tuesday.

"They have just told me how fun it is to play up there, and the environment," Kyle Davis said. "They've got a good home crowd. Obviously, [BYU players] have good memories from last year. We hope to go in and try to repeat those."

Freshman Nick Emery said the Cougars have faced hostile crowds already this season — at Utah and Colorado — but has heard denizens at the Kennel may top them all.

"It is going to be a fun game," Emery said. "It is going to be a battle for us. Gonzaga is playing really well right now. But you just have to go into it like any other game. Games in the WCC are tough, no matter which opponent you play."

More Utah talk

BYU coach Dave Rose said that after listening to Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak's explanation on why Utah is paying its way out of next season's scheduled game at BYU that his opinion hasn't changed from last week.

"It is disappointing," Rose said, declining to respond to a question about Krystkowiak's downplaying whether something could be worked out via a civil meeting or discussion.

In regard to whether he agreed with anything Krystkowiak said on Monday, Rose said, "Probably; I would agree with the fact that he doesn't want the series."

Davis declined to comment on the Utah scheduling flap, while Emery said he "supports coach Rose" and everything Rose has said.

"It is interesting," Emery said. "I am just focused on this year. When next year comes around, maybe we will talk about it. But right now, it is about what Gonzaga does."

Toolson won't return

Sophomore guard Jake Toolson will not be returning to the basketball team this season, Rose said Tuesday.

Toolson, who took a leave of absence from the team on Dec. 21 for undisclosed medical reasons, is enrolled at BYU as a part-time student only and therefore is not eligible to compete or participate in any team activities this semester.

"But he is doing really well," Rose said. "I am happy for Jake and the progress he is making."

Now that's better

Rose was displeased with the way his team played defense in Saturday's 102-92 win over San Francisco, and said as much in his post-game address. After the Cougars practiced Tuesday afternoon at the Marriott Center, Rose was happy with how the players responded to the criticism.

"We've had two really good practices," he said. "This group, they just believe that the concepts of what we want to do are becoming more and more familiar to them, which allows them to play without thinking. And that allows us to be where it is just habits, and they can play harder, and they can play more consistently.

"I was surprised. I think that's why my comments after the game were that way because that was a little bit different than what we have shown in the last three or four weeks. And so practice was pretty normal."

Briefly

Freshman guard Zac Seljaas is averaging 12.5 points per game and shooting 62.8 percent from 3-point range (27 of 43) in his past eight games. … Since starting the season shooting 44.4 percent from the free-throw line in the first eight games, Davis has shot 74.2 percent (23 of 31) in the past nine games.

Twitter: @drewjay BYU at Gonzaga

Thursday, 7 p.m. MST

TV: ESPN2