PROVO — So far this basketball season, BYU starting center Rafael Araujo has displayed a penchant for rebounding, solid moves around the basket and a deft shooting touch that carries from mid-range jumpers out toward the arc.
And in Saturday night's 66-56 victory over Utah State, the 6-foot-11 junior-college transfer earned post-game raves from Cougar coach Steve Cleveland and teammates for his in-the-post passing and two key assists against the Aggies.
"It's because he attracts so much attention," said Cleveland. "He's going to bring two guys to him, and when he does, he finds people."
Like he found Mark Bigelow on the wing for a timely 3-pointer during the swingman's 10-point run in the USU game.
"In practice sometimes you cut to the lane, and normally you don't expect to get the ball, and all of a sudden, the ball's right there and you go, 'Oh my gosh, where did this come from?' " Bigelow said. "It's huge to have a post player like that who can pass like that and who's unselfish."
POINT WELL TAKEN: Starting point guard Kevin Woodberry played his best overall game Saturday night against the Aggies, playing with composure and pushing the Cougar attack. He canned three straight 3-pointers in the first half, and Cleveland called attention to his season-high six assists and his defense on USU guard Mark Brown, who managed only two points after scoring double figures in each of the Aggies' previous games.
However, if Woodberry wants to be handling the ball in the closing minutes of tight games, he'll need to improve on his free-throw shooting — his 3-of-6 against USU representative of his season-long struggles at the line.
That prompted Cleveland to insert backup Ricky Bower into Woodberry's spot at the point late against Utah State. With the trailing Aggies forced to foul, Bower connected on all six of his FT attempts during that stretch.
STATMAN: Making postgame comments about key transition points in the second half against USU, Cleveland took exception when he glanced over the final statistics and noticed that the Cougars were credited with zero fast-break points.
"I never know how accurate these statistics are — it seems to me that we got some transition baskets," he said. "See — it says 'fast break points, Brigham Young: zero.' I can remember two layups and a three off the fast break."
Told later that new personnel and a required combination of several keystrokes when logging the stats on the computer sytem, he added: "If these are supposed to be recorded officially, I hope the other stuff — field-goal percentage and everything — is all right. Final score right?"
CONFERENCE LEADERS: As a team, the Cougars are leading the Mountain West Conference in two defensive categories — allowing opponents to shoot .369 from the floor and .262 in attempted 3-pointer. BYU also leads the MWC in free throw shooting at .741 percent after last weekend — and that includes the struggling 11-of-20 outing against San Diego last week.
RATINGS: Through Tuesday night's games, BYU was ranked ninth in the Sagarin RPI index, with Creighton, Notre Dame, St. Joseph's and Arizona the Sagarin top five.
In the CBS Sportsline RPI, BYU is at No. 4, behind Indiana, Arizona and Wake Forest. And the Cougars started the week ranked seventh in the Collegiate Basketball News and collegerpi.com ratings.
HURTING: Starting forward Jared Jensen essentialy missed his second week of practice, trying to rest a lingering deep shin bruise. He payed in both bames last week and is expected to play Saturday night against UC Santa Barbara
Also, starting guard Travis Hansen tore a ligament affecting the ring and pinkie fingers on his left (nonshooting) hand, but he isn't expected to be hindered much. And reserve forward John Allen battled a bout of food poisoning Wednesday and Thursday.
MISCELLANEOUS: BYU has held all eight opponents to FG percentages of 42 percent or lower, with four coming in under 35 percent . . . BYU's 7-1 start matches that of the Cougars in 1999-2000. However, that season, six of the first seven wins were at home, while four of this season's victories have come away from the Marriott Center . . . The Cougars have trailed at halftime in each of their past three games and five times in eight games so far this year.
E-MAIL: taylor@desnews.com