This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo • BYU's basketball team will play in an NBA arena for the third time in five games on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago against Illinois, and coach Dave Rose expects the Cougars to shoot better than they did in similar venues in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles.
Why?
Because practice makes perfect, and also because the stanchions in the Marriott Center — the rims, backboards and standards that hold them up — are more similar to the setups in NBA arenas than they were in the past.
When it opened the Marriott Center Annex basketball practice facility a few months ago, BYU wanted the stanchions in that building to be similar to the ones in its arena.
Because the Marriott Center was still using stanchions it purchased in 1984, and finding vintage sets was next to impossible, that meant new stanchions in both buildings.
Rose said the ones they purchased are used by most NBA arenas throughout the country.
"They have a longer neck, so you have more room along the baseline before you run into the standard," Rose explained. "And then the rims and backboard is different. … The biggest difference is we purchased them in 2016 instead of 1984."
The Cougars are one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the country, ranking 299th heading into Thursday night's games, but the 9 for 19 effort against Colorado boosted them above 30 percent.
"Our rims are similar to those [NBA] arenas now," said assistant coach Terry Nashif, who oversees the offense. He noted that there are other adjustments to playing in NBA arenas, notably the different set of 3-point lines on the floor.
Green light for Rose
Point guard L.J. Rose, the transfer from Houston, is still trying to find his groove from 3-point range. Rose is 6 of 24 from long range (25 percent) but made some clutch 3-pointers in the wins over Utah State and Colorado. Opponents have been backing off Rose in recent games, daring him to take 3-pointers. Nashif said the coaching staff wants the senior to fire away.
"I think he is a great shooter," Nashif said. "He's actually a better shooter than he's shown. And he is going to continue to knock that down. … We want him to shoot that ball."
Injury update
Senior forward Kyle Davis continues to battle knee soreness, and did not practice on Thursday. But Dave Rose said Davis is expected to practice Friday after the Cougars fly into Chicago and should play on Saturday.
"I wish he could practice a little bit more, but he will give us what he can," Rose said.
Sophomore Elijah Bryant watched practice Thursday, but probably won't play until WCC action begins Dec. 29 against Santa Clara at the Marriott Center.
"Elijah is a week, 10 days away from where we can get him out there and see how it responds," Rose said. "He is in a resting time right now, responding to a procedure that he had."
Twitter: @drewjay __
BYU vs. Illinois
P State Farm Chicago Legends
At United Center, Chicago
7:30 p.m. MST
TV • Big Ten Network