We’re headed into the final month of 2012 and nothing screams December like Christmas and basketball, especially for senior guard Craig Cusick.
“It’s the best,” said Cusick, “I’m excited. I love the holiday season.”
The Cougar men’s basketball squad is on a three-game winning streak as they near the holiday season and even for the players, there’s no place like home for the holidays, where they can spend time with their families.
Cusick took the starting spot from sophomore Matt Carlino last week, but he’s in more of a giving mood when Christmas rolls around.
“Everyone (in my family) makes one really good present so you don’t go out and buy it. You make it, so it’s a little more meaningful,” said Cusick.
Sophomore guard Tyler Haws is becoming one of the all-time greats at BYU, averaging almost 23 points per game this year. This is his first holiday season since his mission and he’s looking forward to the night before Christmas.
“Christmas Eve we usually get pajamas and we have a big dinner. We have crab legs, king crab legs, it’s like the best dinner of the year,” said Haws.
One of the Haws family Christmas traditions is even more unique.
“We actually watch Beauty and the Beast,” Haws continued.
The Cougars will be in Texas to take on Baylor on December 21 and return to the Marriott Center on December 27 to face Northern Arizona. That window should be just enough time for the players to come home for the holidays.
“If we can work it out to where we can prepare for the next game and not shortchange…preparation, then we’ll give them as many days off as we can,” said BYU head coach Dave Rose.
That little time to spend with family may be the best Christmas present Coach Rose can give his players.
