Jimmer honored; BYU ranked

As expected, I guess, Jimmer Fredette was named the Mountain West Conference player of the week for the second straight week and third time this season. It’s the fifth time in the past two years that he’s received the award. I figured his 49 points against Arizona, a BYU record and a co-MWC record, would bring the honor his way again, but wasn’t quite sure how sitting out Saturday’s game with the flu would affect things. His game on Monday was just too good, and you can’t blame a kid for being sick.

Probably more significant to the Cougars and their fans is BYU’s status in the two polls released Monday. After the 30-point shellacking of Arizona last week, the Cougars cracked the Top 25 rankings on Monday in both the AP poll and USA Today/ESPN coaches poll.

The Cougars (14-1) are ranked No. 23 in the USA Today/ESPN poll, and No. 25 in the AP poll. In the AP poll, the Cougars got 145 points, which is six points ahead of Clemson in the 26th spot and four behind Washington (10-3) in the 24th spot. In the coaches poll the Cougars got 97 points, which is 16 head of No. 24 Butler and seven behind No. 22 Washington.

With the exception of the four unbeaten teams that comprise the top four in each poll — Kansas, Texas, Kentucky and Purdue — the Cougars and fellow Mountain West Conference foe New Mexico, have the next best record. Six teams with three losses — Temple, Connecticut, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Michigan State and Washington — are ranked ahead of BYU.

New Mexico is ranked 14th in the coaches poll and 15th in the AP poll. UNLV, BYU’s opponent on Wednesday at the Marriott Center, is among the others receiving votes in both polls.