This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Provo • Small forward Charles Abouo is BYU's world traveler.

The junior was born in West Africa's Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and has lived in Milwaukee, Wis., Logan and New Hampshire.

He has played organized basketball in all those places, as well as Turkey, Glens Falls, N.Y., and all the other locales the Cougars have visited the past three seasons.

Finally, though, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Abouo feels like he has found a home. After 21/2 seasons of mild uncertainty with the Cougars, he has arrived at a place where he feels comfortable and confident. Coach Dave Rose said Monday that the play of Abouo and others who have found their roles is a big reason why the Cougars have risen to No. 3 in the polls.

"The more games you get under your belt, the more confident you are, and my confidence now I would say is as high as it has ever been," Abouo said. "Right now, I have been here three years. With every game and every practice, it seems like I get more and more comfortable."

Having started BYU's past five games — ever since the regular starter at the small forward position, Kyle Collinsworth, was sidelined by a concussion — Abouo is flourishing like never before. And he will likely get the start again Wednesday night when the No. 3 Cougars (27-2) play host to New Mexico (18-11) in a key Mountain West Conference contest at the Marriott Center (8 p.m., The Mtn.).

Abouo started his recent tear after replacing Collinsworth on Feb. 5, and has managed to hold onto the precious playing time upon the freshman's return. Abouo played the game of his life 10 days ago against Utah, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the first double-double of his career, then followed that with Saturday's spectacular performance against San Diego State.

Abouo had 18 points and nine rebounds in the 80-67 win over the Aztecs.

"The way he is playing right now is what we had hoped he would be able to do [when BYU coaches recruited him out of Logan High]," said Rose. "He is a guy who can guard multiple positions. He brings it offensively. He is very unselfish. He's a team guy, but he can hit open shots, take the ball to the basket and score. He is a very good offensive rebounder, good free-throw shooter."

Abouo committed to BYU upon finishing his high school career at Logan, but attended a prep school in New Hampshire (Brewster Academy) before becoming a Cougar. Like his roommate, Jimmer Fredette, Abouo wasn't heavily recruited, and BYU was one of his few offers.

"I came to BYU because I had been talking to [assistant] coach [Dave] Rice since I was a sophomore. Throughout the recruitment process, a lot of different schools looked at me. But he looked at me early and I got to know coach Rose and the other coaches in that process," he said.

Abouo moved from the Ivory Coast to the United States (Milwaukee) when he was 8 and began playing basketball shortly thereafter at a local YMCA. When he was 12, his family moved to Logan because his mother, Yvonne, wanted to live close to her best friend.

"BYU coaches just made me feel really comfortable [during the recruiting process]," he said. "When you are looking for a place to go, it is kind of stressful, and this was a great place to go to school and play, and they were all great guys to me. So I ended up coming here."

After his freshman and sophomore seasons, Abouo played for the Cote d'Ivoire Senior National Team, an experience he says not only helped him improve as a player, but also helped him gain a greater appreciation for how well college basketball is organized in the U.S.

"The food was awesome, and the facilities were fine," he said. "It was just that things didn't always run smoothly in regards to travel, things like that. It was a great experience, though."

drew@sltrib.comTwitter: @drewjay —

Abouo's last six games

Date Opp Min FG-FGA FT-FTA Pts Reb

Feb. 5 UNLV 24 4-8 1-1 10 1

Feb. 9 Air Force 29 3-5 0-0 7 4

Feb. 12 Utah 29 8-11 4-7 22 10

Feb. 19 TCU 20 1-3 2-4 5 7

Feb. 23 CSU 17 3-7 2-3 9 3

Feb. 26 SDSU 34 6-11 2-2 18 9 —

New Mexico at No. 3 BYU

P At the Marriott Center, Provo

Tipoff • 8 p.m.

TV • The Mtn.

Radio • 1160 AM, 102.7 FM

Records • BYU 27-2, 13-1; New Mexico 18-11, 6-8

Series history • BYU leads 74-54

Last meeting • New Mexico, 86-77 (Jan. 29, 2011)

About the Cougars • They have lost three straight times to New Mexico, including an 83-81 setback at the Marriott Center last year that cost them a piece of the league title. … They have the best 29-game record (27-2) in school history.

About the Lobos • They are coming off an 80-70 win at TCU, a win that snapped a four-game losing skid. … Senior guard Dairese Gary leads them in scoring with a 14.5 average.