BYU (29-5)
COACH: Dave Rose, five years at BYU, four years in NCAA Tournament
HOW THEY GOT IN: At-large bid
MATCHUP BREAKDOWN: Everybody on BYU is going to have to play defense against a Florida team that has five players average in double-digit points, led by freshman guard Kenny Boynton (13.6 points per game). The seventh-seeded Cougars have put a zone defense to good use at times this season, which seems to make sense against Florida. It will be tough for BYU to match up against the Gators' three frontcourt starters, who each shoot at least 50 percent from the field. Florida, meanwhile, shoots just 31.3 percent from 3-point range.
GO-TO GUYS: Junior guard Jimmer Fredette doesn't force things, and he knows when to pass, but he's definitely going to have the ball in his hands late in any game. And, well, he probably is going to shoot, which is never a bad idea. He's not one-dimensional, able to launch off the dribble, off screens, as a spot-up shooter ... and he's nails from anywhere inside 25 feet. Maybe 30. He's not an athletic star, but he's strong enough to use his body to make something happen when driving hard to the hoop. He was unreal in scoring a McKale Center-record 49 points at Arizona, and he poured in 45 vs. TCU in the conference tournament. He had seven games of at least 30 points this season, averaging 21.7 points, 4.7 assists and shooting 44.8 percent (73 of 163) from behind the arc. Naturally, he is nearly automatic from the free throw line, making 89.6 percent of his 230 attempts. That last number indicates how well he draws contact. He enters the NCAAs having made 33 consecutive free throw attempts.
THEY'LL KEEP WINNING IF: Of BYU's five losses, two came against New Mexico and two came against UNLV, indicating that matchups against athletic teams don't always go the Cougars' way. In its last three losses, BYU allowed its opponent to shoot at least 50 percent from the field. The Cougars' offense is pretty much a given -- a MWC-best 83.0 points per game -- but they're going to have to work just as hard on the defensive end to make a run past the first round.
STRENGTHS: Beyond the star power of Jimmer Fredette, the Cougars have guard Jackson Emery, whose 89 steals are, by far, the most in the Mountain West. He averages 12.6 points and shoots 43.0 percent from the field. Freshman guard Tyler Haws (11.3 points) and senior wing Jonathan Tavernari (10.3) -- who fostered team chemistry this season by willingly coming off the bench -- also average double digits. With those four on the floor at the same time, BYU has four shooting aces ... and opponents have no good option if they have to foul late in games. At 78.6 percent, BYU is the best free throw shooting team in the country.
WEAKNESSES: The Cougars don't have an elite rebounder and don't get much from usual starter Chris Miles, a 6-11 center. The health of Jimmer Fredette is worth watching. He missed time with mononucleosis just after New Year's, and was bothered by a stomach ailment late in the season. Will some problems flare up if BYU plays two games in three days? The Cougars would like a chance to find out because the program has lost seven consecutive games in the NCAA Tournament, not winning since 1993. With this being one of the best teams in school history, the pressure is on to at least make it to Saturday.
