Article from the Daily UniverseAnd the die hard fan's perspective
With 22,700 Cougar faithful looking on, the BYU men's basketball team bumped and bruised the No. 16 Air Force Falcons on their way to an impressive 61-52 victory Saturday afternoon.
With seating so packed in the student section at the BYU vs. Air Force game on Saturday our group of 15 people had to basically sit on laps in order to fit, and yet this just added to the intensity felt in the Marriott Center Saturday afternoon. Some students, including myself, were at the game nearly two hours early to get the promised free shirt (watch for a post in the next day or two regarding this) and a decent seat. (ROW 15 BABY!)
The roaring crowd made their presence known early and played a big part in lifting the Cougars to victory.
"It was a great college basketball game," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "I thought it was a great crowd and a great atmosphere."
There were points in the game where I had to plug my ears because the roar of the crowd was so deafening. Anyone who tried to answer their cell phone or even talk to the person sitting next to them did so in vain as the decimal level went through the roof.
The Cougars got out to a slow start and found themselves trailing 10-4 early on. However, they fired back with a 25-6 run, led by a few three-pointers and a healthy dose of Trent Plaisted inside.
For the first few minutes of the game I felt hopeless. I felt as though I should be down on the court helping them out or better yet I should be re-enacting the Disney Movie where they rig the basketball so that a remote control could maneuver it however and wherever I like.
"Trent was great tonight," Cougar guard Austin Ainge said. "He scored when he had to, and he made passes out when he needed, and that's what it takes to get a win against a good team."
Screaming, yelling, booing, and breath holding all took place in the next 15 minutes of game time. My heart nearly fell out of my chest on several occasions as BYU pulled ahead and made some amazing plays to take a 10 point lead over Air Force. With thirty seconds left in the half Air Force got the ball and tried to end it on a good note but the Cougars put a stop to them once again and the team retired to the locker room with the Falcons trailing behind.
BYU continued to trade baskets with Air Force, and the Cougars held a 31-21 lead at half. The second half began with a series of plays that let Plaisted show his dominance instead. He took a pass from Ainge and dunked it with his left hand to open the scoring.
On the other end of the floor; Plaisted blocked a Jacob Birtschi shot and started the transition down court. He arrived in the lane again, took a pass and finished it with another powerful dunk, causing the crowd to roar.
Is there anything better than watching a 6'11" man dunk a basketball. Yes. Try watching a 6'11" Trent Plaisted dunk a shot, block a shot, and dunk another shot all in a matter of seconds. Words cannot describe the feelings and warm pricklies that came over me as I watched in awe at the skill Plaisted was adding to the court.
"It was the greatest college basketball environment I've been a part of," Plaisted said. "I was screaming at the top of my lungs and I couldn't hear myself."
The crowd, however, would soon be quieted.
Air Force made a run, as they have consistently shown they can do all year. A barrage of three-point shots and some tough defense cooled the Cougars off half-way through the second half.
As Air Force slowly crept back into the game my heart pounded with fear and I lost all ability to to speak. I may have even teared up a little as I watched the falcons come with in two points of tying up the game.
With 35 seconds left, the BYU lead had diminished. The score was 54-51 when Air Force intentionally fouled Plaisted, putting the 49 percent free-throw shooter on the line.
In terror I watched as Trent Plaisted approached the free-throw line in an attempt to make his shots. (I have been a large doubting thomas in regards to his free throws so let's just say I was praying but not expecting much at the line). Soon I was left awe stricken with my chin down to my knees and Plaisted unexpectedly made not one, but BOTH of his free throws giving us a 5 point lead with 35 seconds left in the game.
"If I was Air Force Coach Bzdelik I probably would have done the same thing," Plaisted said. "He is a good coach, and it was a good coaching move."
Plaisted took the pressure in stride. After the front end of the one-and-one barely made it over the rim, he knocked the second free throw down to extend the lead to five points.
The falcons then came down the court and Nick Welch missed a three-point attempt. Air Force tapped the ball back out, where BYU forward Keena Young was waiting.
Young grabbed the rebound, dribbled down the court, put the ball behind his back and finally made a layup as he fouled with 20 seconds left in the game. He hit the free throw to extend the lead to eight.
From that point on it was smooth sailing, and the Cougars won 61-52.
WE WON! WE WON, WE WON, WE WON!! There was a moment when I thought I was going to die of suffocation as the crowd around me jumped and cheered and screamed and hugged so tight I could barely move my lungs. And yet, this moment of complete and total fear of the loss of my life was drowned by my ecstasy over our win against the #13 Air Force Falcons. WE WON! We continue our home game winning streak. Now a total of 27 home game wins.
Plaisted finished the game with 22 points, while Young added 17.
The play of the two post players, who continue to work better with each other, was the difference. Their bruising play helped the Cougars out-rebound the Falcons by 22 for the game. The extra opportunities created by those rebounds made a big difference.
"It was a real big part of our game plan," Rose said. "We thought if we could get our three, four, and five men at the basket we could get our hands on the ball at least. We could also get some closer shots."
The win brings the Cougars' record to 15-6 overall and 5-2 in conference. They are now tied for second in the Conference.
BYU also extended their winning streak to 27 victories, which ties them with Air Force for the second-longest active home win streak in the country.
On Wednesday we head up North to face the arch-enemy and well hated University of Utah. I would say wish us luck, but I was told luck doesn't exist and besides ... I don't think the Cougs need much luck. We are just awesome anyway. ... WE WON!
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