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They probably ought to rename Brigham Young's big basketball barn. Call it the Marriott Mausoleum or maybe the Provo Crypt.

Put a sign above the gym that starts off: "Here lies ..."

Because it seems the Cougars' Marriott Center is where jump shots from other teams go to die — and take the shooters of those shots with them.

"We know the monumental task that's in front of us," said Steve Alford, the University of New Mexico's men's basketball coach.

The task in front of UNM today is to try and snap the Cougars' 41-game win streak in Provo.

That run is better than all the big-name, BCS teams coast-to-coast, well, except for No. 1-ranked Memphis, which has won 42 straight at home.

The Cougars' run is better than Duke or Kansas or North Carolina or UCLA.

So, are the Cougars that tough on their home turf or is the Mountain West full of a bunch of home boys?

The Lobos might answer that question in part today, although UNM says the streak really isn't the issue. They want to win one game from BYU — today's game.

"Getting into streaks and those things really don't mean a lot," said Alford.

UNM senior J.R. Giddens said the possibility of breaking the streak is "very exciting" and would "be a bonus."

"But I don't think that can be the attention of our focus," he said.

The streak that should get the Lobos' attention is a more personal one. The Lobos have lost seven straight in Provo. BYU has won four straight overall.

The center of UNM's attention might be 6-foot-11 Trent Plaisted, who sometimes is a center and sometimes is a forward.

The big Cougar can move, shoot and rebound. He averages 15.5 points and 8.9 rebounds.

But the Cougars' strength might be balance.

When Plaisted stunk up Utah's Huntsman Center on Jan. 19 going 2-of-11 from the field with four rebounds, Lee Cummard scored 19 and had nine rebounds. Cougar Sam Burgess scored 12.

"They have other guys on their team that are just as good, if not better," said Alford. "This is a very talented team. Cummard might be as good as anybody in our league.

"That's a great matchup with J.R."

The Plaisted vs. 6-9 Daniel Faris matchup should be interesting, too. And does UNM have anybody who can stay with BYU's 6-6 Jonathan Tavernari, who averages 12.7 points and likes to drift outside and hit the trey?

"In defending BYU, it's going to take another team effort," said Alford. "It's never one guy. Our defense is never about one-on-one defense."

The Lobos defense is about "help" defense — about not allowing uncontested shots and not allowing the enemy one-on-one opportunities.

Of course, it doesn't always work that way.

The Cougars will be working some inside-outside tactics hoping to create open shots on the perimeter. The Cougars also like transition baskets and they love to hit the offensive boards.

If the Cougars do those things well — and hit a decent percentage from 3-point range over the Lobos' zone — the Cougars should add another name to their boot hill.