Tuesday, November 17th, 9:30 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Marriott Center (22,700) -- Provo, Utah. Television: None. Home Record: ISU 0-0, BYU 1-0. Away Record: ISU 0-2, BYU 0-0. Neutral Record: ISU 0-0, BYU 0-0. Conference Record: ISU 0-0, BYU 0-0. Series Record: BYU leads, 30-6.

GAME NOTES: On the road for the third straight game to begin the 2009-10 campaign, the Idaho State Bengals make a stop in Provo tonight to challenge the BYU Cougars in a non-conference affair at the Marriott Center.

The Cougars, winners of almost 80 percent of their games at the Marriott Center over the years, have been particularly dominant in the building the last several seasons and currently enjoy a seven-game win streak at home. In the season opener last week, the Cougars took care of Bradley with a 70-60 decision.

Meanwhile, the Bengals already have a pair of games under their belt, but unfortunately they are both defeats. First, the team began the new season with an 88-68 setback to Iowa State on the road on Friday and then followed that up with a 74-69 loss to the same Bradley Braves two days later.

After a stop back at Reed Gym on Saturday where they will face Colorado Christian, it is right back out on the road for the Bengals with four more away games.

With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, the Cougars hold a decisive 30-6 advantage, taking an 85-65 win in Pocatello last season. BYU has won five straight over ISU, and all but one since 1944.

Three starters scored in double figures for the Bengals on Sunday evening, beginning with Broderick Gilchrest who tallied 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor, followed by Amorrow Morgan with 18 points. Demetrius Monroe recorded a double-double for the visitors with his 13 points and 11 rebounds over the course of 36 minutes of work. Idaho State handled the glass, 36-26, and registered 17 offensive boards, compared to only six for the home team. However, that might be because Bradley shot both 50 percent from the field and 11-of-22 behind the three-point line, while the Bengals made good on just 2- of-13 chances out on the perimeter. Gilchrest and Morgan are averaging 20.0 and 16.5 ppg, respectively, after two games and have made a combined 27 field goals, nearly half the team's 55 buckets in two games. As a result, it should come as no surprise that the duo accounts for more than half of the 68.5 ppg being produced by Idaho State at the moment.

Even though the BYU offense wasn't exactly at the top of its game in the opener, shooting only 40 percent from the floor, the defense was there to save the day by limiting the Braves to just 36 percent from the floor and forcing the visitors into 15 turnovers. Leading the way for the Cougars was Jimmer Fredette who registered 25 points, five rebounds and four assists, shooting 12-of-14 at the free-throw line along the way. Jonathan Tavernari accounted for 13 points and Michael Loyd another 10 off the bench in the triumph. Fredette, who was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week for the first week of the new season, was second on the team in scoring a year ago with his 16.2 ppg and is also the top returning assist man for the Cougars after handing out 135 in 2008-09. In Tavernari (15.7 ppg) the team has one of the most successful three-point shooters in program history, with him having knocked down 85 shots beyond the arc last season for a team that was 38.1 percent accurate on such efforts.

With the Marriott Center serving as such an important advantage for the Cougars, expect Idaho State to fall into the loss column yet again.

Predicted Outcome

BYU 79, Idaho State 63