NCAA Bracket 2011: 5 Reasons BYU Will Win a Championship

BYU has stormed through two rounds of March Madness. After a convincing win against a well-established Gonzaga team, the Cougars are ready to make some real noise.

BYU has all the chips set to make its loudest exclamation yet in the tournament, and with the national headliner on its team in Jimmer Fredette, BYU's chances of winning a national championship are greatly favored.

Here are the five reasons why BYU will win a championship. 

5. Coaching

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 19: Head coach Dave Rose of the Brigham Young Cougars gestures from the bench against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Center on March 19, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Pho

BYU coach Dave Rose has done an excellent job this season even while being under the national spotlight with the highly-debated Brandon Davies suspension and with all of the media hordes surrounding Jimmer Fredette.

He has adjusted with the loss of one of his best inside players remarkably, and he has found ways to have other players become factors other than the obvious threat in Fredette. 

4. Frontcourt

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: Noah Hartsock #34 of the Brigham Young Cougars goes to the hoops against Noah Dahlman #42 of the Wofford Terriers during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Center on March 17, 2011 in Denver, Col

With the absence of Brandon Davies, many felt BYU's inside game would be non-existent.  

However, Noah Hartsock has stepped up in the tournament, scoring 23 points combined in the first two games.

Stephen Rogers has been a pleasant surprise for the Cougars as well.

He scored 10 points against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in just 11 minutes of game time. 

3. Free-Throw Shooting

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SAN DIEGO, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Jimmer Fredette #32 of the Brigham Young Cougars shoots a free throw against the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half at Cox Arena on February 26, 2011 in San Diego, California. BYU beat SDSU 80-67. (Photo by Kent Ho

BYU is shooting an impressive 76.3 percent from the charity stripe.

In its meeting in the third round against Gonzaga, BYU made 13 of 15 free throws.  

It is obvious BYU is making a concerted effort to be put on the line, and when the Cougars get there, they make every chance count.

Bottom line: If BYU is constantly attempting free throws, it could be the final stat to show why it ended up being the team with the victory.

2. Backcourt

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 19: Jimmer Fredette #32 and Charles Abouo #1 of the Brigham Young Cougars celebrates on the bench towards the end of the game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Cen

Everybody knows about the Jimmer Show.

But what everyone seems to forget is that outside of Jimmer, BYU's backcourt can compete with about anyone's.

Jackson Emery and Charles Abouo are lethal from outside, and they can supply enough offensive power to cripple any opponent.  Both players have been stellar on defense through the season, too.

The Cougars also have a secret weapon on their bench in Kyle Collinsworth, who can supply significant bench points.

1. Jimmer Fredette

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 19: Jimmer Fredette #32 of the Brigham Young Cougars runs off of the court after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Center on March 19, 2011 in Denver, Colorado.

Jimmer Fredette has single-handedly placed BYU's basketball program into another level, and he has positioned them into a great spot in becoming the national champion this season.

Fredette knows how to put on a great show, as he is electrifying every single night.

He has not been in the national spotlight all season for nothing, and he knows he has his chance to prove that the Cougars are the real deal.

He is leading the nation this season with 28.8 points per game, and he is averaging 33 points per game during the tournament.

Fredette is the sole reason why BYU will win a championship.