Provo » Last year's BYU-Idaho State basketball game in Pocatello did not end well for the home team, as ISU coach Joe O'Brien became so frustrated at one point that he screamed at BYU's bench for being disrespectful, among other things, in the 85-65 Cougars win.

But as the Cougars and Bengals prepare to play in what BYU guard Jimmer Fredette calls "our rivalry against them" tonight in the Marriott Center (7:30 p.m., no TV), BYU players and coaches insist there's no venom left over from last year's intense game.

"I just think that you remember how competitive the games have been," said BYU coach Dave Rose, calling O'Brien a good friend. "They played a really good game in here two or three years ago, an overtime game. ... They don't turn the ball over much. So I expect a competitive, hard-fought game."

The Cougars drubbed the Bengals 90-69 in Provo in 2007, but in 2006 BYU needed overtime to hold off the visitors, 84-78.

"They would really like to beat us because they haven't been able to do that for the last three times," Fredette said. "So we know they are going to be hungry. They are going to come in here eager to play. We have to be ready to play, or they will come out and [beat] us."

Oddly, Idaho State and BYU already have a common opponent this season. After losing 70-60 to the Cougars on Friday, Bradley returned to Peoria, Ill., and beat Idaho State 74-69 on Sunday. The Bengals also dropped a nonconference game 88-68 at Iowa State on Friday.

"It was amazing [that both teams were playing Bradley], when we saw the schedule, how it came out," Rose said. "We tried to move it around a little bit, but it just didn't work out."

Rose said a couple of things the Cougars (1-0) have worked on since beating Bradley are defensive rebounding and shot selection.

"We took some not-great shots in the past three games," Fredette acknowledged. "When we do that, we don't give our offensive rebounders an opportunity to get in there and get those second chances."

BYU leads the overall series 30-6, and is 12-2 in Provo against the Bengals.

drew@sltrib.com