By Randall Champion
At the beginning of the season, the NCAA tournament was a goal for the men''s basketball team. But while the players and coaches fought for it on the court, it appeared to be still just a dream.
'I envisioned it, I never thought it was going to happen,' senior Terrell Lyday said. 'But it was a vision.'
The BYU dream season continues on March 15 in San Diego as it will take on fifth-seeded Cincinnati in a game that seems to have a simple game plan: Expose the other team''s weakness.
The Bearcats are known for their explosive backcourt combination of Conference USA Player of the Year Steve Logan and Kenny Satterfield.
The 6-foot Logan and 6-2 Satterfield have given opponents fits this year because of their quickness. Guard Immanuel McElroy also starts for Cincinnati, giving the Bearcats a small yet quick three-guard line-up.
BYU will hope to contain the Bearcat charge with their explosive senior lineup of Lyday and Trent Whiting.
While the two have struggled at times this season, both have stepped up in big games. Lyday knows that it will be important to find the player who is hot in order to play with Cincy.
'This is a very unselfish team,' Lyday said. 'We have to get the person the ball who''s playing well. Whoever''s playing well, that''s who we need to go to.'
The Bearcat weakness that the Cougars will try to expose is their frontcourt. After the loss of NBA first-round pick Kenyon Martin, Cincinnati found itself inexperienced and shallow.
Forwards Jamaal Davis and B.J. Grove start in the post for the Bearcats, with center Donald Little coming off the bench to help inside.
BYU appears to have the advantage over Cincinnati, with conference and tournament MVP Mekeli Wesley filling the post-position for the Cougars.
While also a threat from the outside, Wesley flexed his inside muscles against New Mexico, connecting on 11 of 12 from the floor in the conference championship game.
Wesley will have the help of teammates Eric Nielsen, Nate Knight and Derek Dawes who can provide solid play inside for coach Steve Cleveland.
The first round match-up will be one pitting two teams who finished the season playing perhaps their best basketball of the season.
BYU comes into the game having won 11 of their last 13, including the Mountain West Championship. The Cougars have won five straight, all away from home.
Cincinnati has won nine of its last 11 games, and finished as the co-champion of Conference USA. The Bearcats did drop the C-USA championship game 80-72 to Charlotte.
Another factor that could play into Cincinnati''s favor is NCAA tournament experience. This will be the Bearcats'' 10th straight appearance in the Big Dance, while BYU is making its first appearance in six years.
Yet despite its lack of experience and underdog status, Wesley feels this team will not be content just to be participating in the Big Dance.
'Hopefully we''re not just excited to be going,' Wesley said. 'We definitely want to win some games. We feel confident and want the momentum to carry us through.'