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krobinett@journalnet.com

POCATELLO -- Normally, Thanksgiving week is a quiet time of year for Darik Anderson.

With college football season finished and the first conference basketball games still months away, the Idaho State ticket manager usually doesn't have any hot tickets to sell until the new year.

But today's 7:05 p.m. men's basketball game at Holt Arena between Idaho State and BYU changed all that.

The past week has been one of the busiest on record.

"The phones haven't stopped ringing," Anderson said. "We've had a steady stream of people calling for tickets non-stop."

That's because BYU is the opponent everyone in southeast Idaho wants to see.

With a strong presence of BYU graduates, LDS members and lifelong Cougars fans in this area, BYU is the most popular college sports program in the region after Idaho State.

Don't agree? Well, when was the last time you saw a group of visiting fans planning a massive tailgate before a basketball game like the BYU Alumni Association is today?

Joseph Noorda, president of the BYU Alumni Association's Pocatello chapter, said he has already sold 200 food tickets to the tailgate, which begins at 4 p.m. at the LDS Institute Building at 1011 E. Carter, and he knows at least 500 Cougars fans who have already purchased tickets.

"We're excited as BYU graduates to have our team come up and play," Noorda said. "It's pretty special to have them coming up here and playing Idaho State."

Anderson said close to half the calls he's received this week about tickets have come from BYU fans.

A large walk-up crowd is expected for today's game, so projecting accurate attendance figures is difficult, but most anticipate anywhere from 3,500 to 6,000 fans will fill the 8,000-seat arena.

Said Anderson: "It will easily be the most attended basketball game in four or five years."

Idaho State coach Joe O'Brien realized a game against BYU would attract a big crowd. That's why he agreed to play two road games in Provo in exchange for one game in Pocatello.

Everyone he talked to told him BYU would have a chance at bringing in a sell-out crowd, so a two-for-one deal made sense.

Even if more than 1,000 of the fans on hand end up cheering for the visiting team, Idaho State players say they are excited to play in front of a large crowd.

Senior guard Matt Stucki, who is actually related to Noorda through his brother's marriage, said he didn't care who came to the game as long they were buying tickets.

"It's going to be a great opportunity for the city of Pocatello," he said. "For a good team like this to come in, especially a team that everyone is familiar with and roots for when they aren't playing Idaho State, should be fun for just about everybody."

Stucki, who is a loyal LDS member, said nearly everyone in his extended family will be at the game. For a chance to see him play against BYU, even those from Salt Lake City and Idaho Falls are driving in.

Junior guard Donnie Carson won't have any family on hand but said he was eagerly awaiting the game all the same.

"I'm pretty much always excited when we get people out to the gym," he said. "But I've never experienced this place packed. I'm looking forward to that. It will be a good experience."

By Kellis Robinett

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