September 1: Washington State.

The eyes of the entire football world will be on this game, but most people outside of Provo or the LDS faith won’t be cheering for the home team.  This game features the return of “The Pirate,” Mike Leach.  Leach is different, and is a walking storyline generator. 

The media will be all over this one, and many of them will be openly rooting for Leach to win because of the dubious nature of his firing at Texas Tech.  Since Craig James no longer works for ESPN, and it was revealed in Leach’s book that James hired a PR company to discredit Leach, ESPN might side with Leach and disassociate themselves from James. 

Either way, this “Cougars vs Cougars” matchup could be one of the more entertaining games of the year.  We think this one is a tossup.

September 8: Weber State

Two words: tomato can. The experienced and well-coached Cougars of BYU should make this one a blowout.

September 15: at Utah

There is no way to sugarcoat this: the Cougars got embarrassed at home last year by the Utes, and this will be even more of a grudge match than usual.  Not only was the game a blowout, but the conduct of some of the Utes and their fans rubbed salt in the wound, both on and off the field.  I think the Cougars will find a way to win this game out of sheer determination. 

September 22: at Boise State

This could be the best year to play Boise State in the last seven or eight.  BSU expects to have as many as 14 graduating players see the inside of an NFL camp this year.  While the bigger football factories such as Alabama can reload, BSU will be rebuilding.  The graduation of all-world QB Kellen Moore will be too much for BSU to rebound from.  BSU will win eight games due to a fairly easy schedule; BYU won’t be one of them. 

September 29: Hawai’i

Hawai’i is a very good team at home.  They aren’t at home on September 29.

October 5: Utah State

As always, this will be an intense “rivalry game.”  We don’t see USU pulling off the upset here, though. Even though it practically took a miracle to win last year, BYU has learned not to overlook this game, and will bring their ‘A’ game the same way we expect them to against Utah.

October 13: Oregon State

Normally, it would appear unwise to schedule a Pac 12 team for homecoming.  Normally, Oregon State would have something resembling a decent football team.  It’s not a normal year. If BYU takes care of business the way we expect them to, the Cougs will come into this game undefeated. We’re not overlooking OSU, but, seriously, look at their performance lately…

October 20: at Notre Dame

This could be a matchup of undefeated teams.  Or, Notre Dame could enter this game on a four game losing streak.  Our guess is that Notre Dame will find a way to be good this year.  Then, again, BYU is a “trap game” for Notre Dame, because they play Stanford the week before and Oklahoma the week after. 

Beating Notre Dame at home is difficult any year despite the weaker seasons the team has had the last few years. Even though we’ll cheer BYU onto the win, this is a game that BYU could very likely lose.

October 27: at Georgia Tech

Normally, a team that went 8-5 last year and is starting a redshirt freshman QB would not be much to worry about.  Georgia Tech, though, is always a team to worry about.  They are one of the few teams that uses the triple option, and they execute it very well. 

The problem defending the triple option isn’t that it is anything special, but that teams almost never see it.  It requires a different mindset to defend than any other offense.  Also, because it can produce some prolific rushing yardage, it has a tendency to produce an advantage in time of possession, and can keep the other team’s offense off of the field. 

This game is scary.  Very scary.  It is on the road and is right after Notre Dame.  It doesn’t look good for the Cougars here, especially if the team loses against ND. This is one we’ll go ahead and predict a loss for, despite our confidence that BYU can win this game. It’s just probably the toughest on this year’s schedule.

November 10: Idaho

This game could be close in the first half, but we see the Cougars pulling away in the second half. This will probably be one of the games that the coaching staff will plan to get some team-building done for next year. Riley Nelson may play the first half, but will probably wrap the game up and let the 1st backup play the rest.

November 17: at San Jose State

This is another game that the Cougars should win easily, but it is on the road, and things can happen on the road.  Luckily, we don’t see any of those things happening this time around. BYU has consistently played pretty well against average teams on the road the last few years. This will be a game that will be played for four full quarters, but the Cougs should probably win by a margin of at least two scores.

November 24: at New Mexico State

Another game that the Cougars should win.  Pretty much everything that applies to San Jose State applies here, too. 

This is one of the best opportunities the Cougars have had for a shot at the National Championship in a long time.  Returning QB Riley Nelson might not be the prettiest QB in the country, but he is one of the most courageous, and is great at getting the job done, no matter what that entails. 

The major roadblocks are WSU, Utah, BSU, Notre Dame, and GA Tech.  We really think that the Cougars will beat Utah, BSU, and possibly Notre Dame, but it might be too much to expect an undefeated season.  If the Cougars are going to get a shot at the BCS Championship game, they will have to go undefeated.  They have a good enough schedule to make a case if they go undefeated, but will probably not make it with even one loss, due to the usual college football politics. As we’ve seen in the past, the ones in control are just waiting for that one loss to write you off.

While it didn’t apply to Alabama’s loss to LSU last year, the NCAA’s advertising slogan “Every Game Counts” will apply to the Cougars this year, as long as they keep on winning.  Our guess is that a one-loss season could still result in a BCS bowl, but that anything less will end up in a Poinsettia Bowl berth. 

There is a slight chance that a two-loss season could still result in a BCS bowl as the “top independent,” or “top non-BCS conference team,” but it would be a lot better for the Cougars if they took care of business every week since the number of undefeated or near-undefeated non-BCS contenders has grown in the last few years. We don’t really see this happening, but the colllege football landscape is a complicated field where these conditions could potentially exist. Not likely though.

We’re always optimistic, but even we can’t predict an undefeated season.  But we will go with 11-1 as our totally overly-optimistic prediction and a BCS bowl berth.

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

A Way Too Early Look at the 2012 Schedule

1.  Johnny Miller

Miller is the king of BYU golfers who have made it onto the tour.  He won 25 tournaments on the PGA tour and seven other tournaments for a total of 32.  This includes the 1973 US Open and the 1976 British Open.  He also finished second in the Masters three times.  He was the PGA Player of the Year in 1974, when he was also the top money winner. 

Miller played in an era when Arnold Palmer was still around, and Jack Nicklaus was dominating the tour.  Gary Player and Lee Trevino were also at the top of their games while Miller played.  Many of those we see as legends today also played during Miller’s tenure on the tour.  Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, and Tom Weiskopf were also on the tour with him. 

Miller was as good as anyone on the tour until he developed the “yips” on the putting greens, and it would eventually frustrate him into leaving the tour.   He was in a slump from 1977-79, won again in 1980, and had one more great season in 1981, winning the Million Dollar Challenge in Sun City, South Africa, and making the Ryder Cup team that year.  Miller was also on the Ryder Cup team in 1975.

Miller went into “semi-retirement” in 1990, and was hired by NBC as a commentator on their tour broadcasts.  He almost immediately established a reputation as the most honest commentator in the game.  He would later become the lead commentator, and still enjoys a reputation as the best and most honest analyst on television. 

Miller has stirred up a bit of controversy with his honesty, but it is what makes him the most trusted source of information on television when it comes to golf.  Miller is known for never pulling punches, even when discussing his friends on the tour.  If that isn’t enough, Miller is also a successful golf course architect. 

2.  Mike Weir

Weir, who lives in Canada, had a very good career in the 2000’s decade.  He graduated from BYU in 1992, and started his career as a pro on the Canadian Tour.  Weir flirted with the PGA tour with limited success, but won the 1998 PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.  That would start him off on a very nice ten year run. 

He got his first US Tour win in 1999 at the Air Canada Championship in Surrey, BC, Canada.  He would go on to win eight times, including the 2003 Masters, the 2001 Tour Championship, and the 2000 WGC American Express Championship.  His last win was in 2007. 

Weir’s career hit a downward trend when he started using the popular “Stack and Tilt” swing during the later part of the decade.  In 2010, he went back to work with his old teacher, Mike Wilson, but then rehired the creators of the Stack and Tilt, Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer.  He ended up with a torn ligament no his right elbow in 2010, and started 2011 on a major medical exemption. 

Now, Weir doesn’t have full status on the US Tour, but he has activated his European Tour status that he won by virtue of being a Masters winner.   When not jetting off to Europe, Weir lives in Draper, Utah, with his family.  We hope he “finds it” again soon.

3.  Daniel Summerhays

Summerhays turned pro in 2007, after becoming the first amateur to win a tournament on the Nationwide Tour.  The Nationwide Tour allowed him the same privilege they would a professional, and his win earned him a spot on the tour through 2008.   

He would finally earn his PGA Tour card by finishing fifth overall on the Nationwide money list for 2010.  In 2011, he had an up and down year.  He made over $190,000 in his first five events, but only around $42,000 in his next 19.  He would eventually have to go back to the PGA Qualifying Tournament, where he regained his card by two strokes. 

Summerhays currently travels to tour events in a motor home with his wife and preschool-aged children.  In one stretch in 2011, he played 25 tournaments in 30 weeks.  Summerhays is well on the way to keeping his card.  He has already won $323,256 in eight tournaments.  He has made six cuts, and is averaging 70.7 so far, which would be his best by 1.6 strokes if he could maintain this pace. 

4.  Bobby Clampett

Bobby Clampett graduated in 1980.  He was a three-time All-American from 1978-1980, and was Collegiate Golfer of the Year twice.  As an amateur, he also won the Porter Cup, the Sunnehanna Amateur, and the Western Amateur. 

Clampett was mildly successful as a pro, winning only once, but he would keep his card from 1980-1995.  He made over $1 million in his career, in the days when purses were a lot less than they are now.   He is currently on the Champions Tour as a part-time player.  Clampett has also worked covering golf for CBS since 1991.

5.  Keith Clearwater

Clearwater graduated in 1982, and turned pro shortly afterward.  He was only moderately successful on the tour, but he did lead the Cougars to the 1981 NCAA Championship, and was a first team All-American.  He managed to win twice on the PGA tour, and is now on the Champions Tour. 

6.  Rick Fehr

Rick Fehr was on the National Championship team, and was a two-time All-American.  He won twice on the PGA tour, the last time in 1994.  Fehr might have done the smartest thing of any of his contemporaries.  He used his BYU degree in finance to start his own business as a sports agent.  He currently represents golfers on the PGA Tour. 

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

Daniel Summerhays Representing BYU on PGA Tour

What If BYU Joins The Big 12?

BYU to the Big 12 is a rumor that just won’t go away.  Rumors don’t always happen, but this one has been so persistent that we think it might be close to happening.  There are some pros and cons to this move. 

First of all, the Cougars have a great deal right now.  They have their own TV contract.  They can schedule whoever they want, and give themselves the optimum mix of easy and difficult games.  They have a bowl deal, and currently have a realistic chance of a BCS bowl if they simply beat out Notre Dame as the best independent in any given year. 

The problem is that the BCS will obviously be going to a plus one format soon, and probably to a true playoff somewhere down the road.  It might not even be called the BCS after the next round of negotiations.  If everything was going to stay as it is now, the Cougars would be better off as an independent.  Unfortunately, major changes are about to happen, and the Cougars don’t want to be left on the “wrong end” of the system when they do.

There is a chance that the BCS conferences and schools will form a new division within the next ten years.  We would say the next five, but things move slowly in the NCAA.  As it sits right now, schools like Alabama are upset that schools like Indiana State have a vote that counts just as much as theirs.  They also don’t like it that there are more of the smaller programs than big ones, and that the smaller ones often win the voting when any kind of NCAA regulations are discussed. 

This makes it apparent that getting into a major conference soon, before the changes begin to accelerate, is the best move for the Cougars, if they want to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate sports.

The Cougars’ options to join a major conference probably come down to two conferences: the Big East and the Big 12.  Why only these conferences?  The Pac 12 apparently doesn’t want BYU because of their LDS affiliation.  The Big Ten wants, for the most part, public universities that are members of the prestigious Association of American Universities.  BYU is not a member at this time. 

The SEC would probably love to have the Cougars, but the SEC is a meat grinder for most football teams.  They are full of football factories where football is a lot more important than education, and there are no such things as “admissions standards” for athletes who can play football at an elite level.  This creates a grossly unlevel playing field when compared to a school with an honor code where students actually have to attend class.  While the Cougars can beat teams like this on occasion, a steady diet of them would be suicide.

As for the ACC, it’s just too far away.  Also, the same things that apply in football in the SEC apply in basketball in the ACC.  The Cougars would be going up against too many rosters full of McDonald’s All Americans. 

This leaves the Big 12 and the Big East.  The Cougars have already turned down the Big East, and they don’t make geographic sense, either.  Even with San Diego State and Boise State, there would be just too many cross-country flights to make the Big East a practical choice. 

By the process of elimination, that leaves the Big 12.  There is a lot to like about the Big 12, but a major downside, too.  The Big 12 lost Nebraska, and will lose Texas A&M and Missouri next year, but are gaining West Virginia and Texas Christian University.  They are a tough conference, especially for football.

 Texas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State currently have very strong football programs, and the addition of WVU and TCU guarantees at least five strong programs in the conference.  Baylor has “upped their game” recently, though the graduation of star QB Robert Griffin III might signal the beginning of the end for their flirtation with elite status.  The teams at the bottom of the conference are a step above most of the MWC teams the Cougars used to play.

So, for football, the Cougars would probably play at least five strong opponents, and three more that are a step above the teams they play now.  In addition, they would be expected to keep rivalry games with Utah and USU.  In other words, the Cougars would suddenly have one of the nation’s toughest schedules. 

In basketball, it would be more of the same.  Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, WVU, and Baylor would all be better than anyone in the WCC at this time.  Other Big 12 teams flirt with elite status for a year or two at a time, too. 

The dominant teams might be a bit different, but the story would be the same: the Cougars would be playing against a lot more teams that consider athletics to be a lot more important than honor codes, grades, class attendance, and SAT scores.  As much as we detest the thought, we would project a temporary down season or two as the Cougars adjust their personnel to compete in the Big 12. 

Another downside would be the amalgamation of the Cougars’ ESPN TV contract into that of the Big 12.  We don’t know the finances, but we are guessing that the Cougars would probably be losing a bit of money on the deal.  While there is a chance that the larger numbers of the Big 12’s TV and bowl affiliations would more than offset the loss of the individual contract, there is also the Texas factor.  The Big 12 has historically allowed Texas to run the conference.  Texas collects a disproportionate share of the money, and it’s “vote” seems to count more than those of other teams.

The positives are that the Big 12’s “footprint” would give them access to more players, and that they would no longer be chronically underrated.  Also, while the Pac 12 would make more geographic sense, the Big 12 is probably the best overall fit of all of the major conferences.  It is the second-closest geographically, and definitely gives the Cougars access to better competition. 

The bottom line here is that the Cougars are going to have to find a way to upgrade their personnel if they want to compete against the football factories in the Big 12.  If they want to win another National Championship, 2012 might be one of the last opportunities to take advantage of the current system and get into the one game for all the marbles.

We’ll see how it goes.

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

What if the Cougars Really do Join the Big 12?

BYU Spring Scrimmage 2012

For the 7,500 or so fans  attending the spring scrimmage, there probably wasn’t a lot of excitement.  But was it good news, bad news, or a little bit of both?  For fans expecting offense, they basically didn’t get any.  That could be because of great defense or bad offense.  We think it was a little bit of both, but with good reason: the battle for the number two QB position. 

Riley Nelson has proven himself, and has tons of experience.  He really doesn’t need any spring reps.  All he really needs is a little bit of practice, and plenty of time to continue to recover from the bumps and bruises of last season.  So, most of the serious reps in the scrimmage went to James Lark and Taysom Hill. 

Hill was singled out for praise by OC Brandon Doman, but it was only one day and one scrimmage, and there is plenty of time between now and September 1, when Washington State comes to Provo.  This game, of course, will now take on a bigger aura, as the return of Mike Leach to the sidelines could be THE national story that week.  Lark was also praised later, not so much for the scrimmage, but for his body of work this spring.

The battle for number two could be very similar to the battle for number one last season.  Hill has the most impressive potential, while Lark has the leadership edge because of his experience in the program.  Last season, the guy with the leadership experience eventually won over the guy with the physical talent; we’ll see how it goes this time around.  Alex Kuresa also got in a few reps, but is probably a distant third to Lark and Hill right now.

The QB position may look scary if Nelson gets injured, but there will be six QB’s on the roster in the fall.  In addition to Nelson, Lark, and Hill, Kuresa, Jason Munns, and Ammon Olsen will all be in camp.  Kuresa was scheduled to leave for his mission this year, but is postponing it until next year.  There is plenty of talent there.  If the past is any indication, somebody will step up when needed. 

Because of injuries, there aren’t enough players to do what the coaching staff would like to, but they have had plenty of opportunities to look at everyone who is still healthy.  Coach Mendenhall mentioned a few players as having had good springs, and as having “solidified” spots on the two deep.  Among them: Taysom Hill, RB Adam Hine, LB Manoa Pikula, DL Ziggy Ansah, DB’s Mike Hague and Chase Pendley,TE McCoy Hill, and OL Michael Yeck. 

Positions and spots on the depth chart probably won’t be settled until August 31, but we should have a better idea after practice officially ends this week. 

Another thing that won’t be determined until later in the year are the captains for 2012.  Last season, coach Mendenhall named captains after spring practice, but now feels that his decision was too hasty.  It was an experiment, and he has decided that it is better to wait until fall practice, because a lot of players who were busy healing injuries in the spring didn’t get to participate in spring practice.

We actually like this, because it is a lot easier to show leadership in the spring than it is under the hot summer sun with season rapidly approaching.  Just as the strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire, the strongest leaders are developed under the most trying conditions.  Many feel that not naming Riley Nelson a captain last spring was a mistake, including Mendenhall.  Two things are for sure: there will be plenty of leaders, as there always are, and the correct decisions will be made this season regarding captains. 

Josh Quezada and Adam Hine got some nice reps at running back, while Nate Carter and Colby Hansen each got in for one carry.  Former LB Austen Jorgensen caught a 14-yard pass as a running back.  Dallin Cutler had 16 yards in two receptions.  As always in college football, much of the fun is watching to see who is going to step up and take the places of those who have graduated. 

While the offense provides the most speculation and entertainment, the defense has been the most crucial aspect for the Cougars in the last few years, and it was the defense that dominated most of the forty 11-on-11 plays during the scrimmage. 

Ezekiel Ahsah got a sack and batted down a pass.  He also had a lot of unofficial “hurries,” as he spent most of his time on the field in the offense’s backfield.   DE Mike Muehlmann also had a sack and knocked down a pass.  LB Uani Unga had a sack, and Hague, who can play both CB and safety but likes safety better,  had an interception at safety.

This week is the last week of practice.   Then, the footballs get put away until August.  This is probably the least fun time of the year for the serious college sports fan.  Basketball ends this weekend for everyone, and has already ended for all except four teams.   Football practice ends on Friday.  Baseball, softball, and other spring sports are still around, but it just isn’t the same as football and basketball. 

The good part, though, is that the coaches of both teams no longer have to put in 80-100 hour weeks for a few months.  Coaches say they don’t like a lot of the recruiting restrictions in the summer, but at least  it forces them to take some time off, or at least work some forty hour weeks like everyone else. 

There is still plenty going on, though.  There is a lot of AAU basketball, and there are plenty of football camps where the recruiting classes of 2013 and beyond have chances to display their talents.  The coaches don’t really get to keep tabs, but a lot of movement in recruiting rankings happens in the summer in both sports, as players prove themselves against elite competition.

Even more important, though, are the informal workouts that happen between teammates all summer.  This is where passers develop “chemistry” with receivers, and PG’s and big men learn each other’s moves on the court. 

In other words, it might appear that sports hibernate during the summer, but the players and coaches don’t.

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

Spring Scrimmage: Good News, Bad News, or Both?

BYU Spring Football

After a decent season in 2011, some expect the Cougars to be THE “surprise team” in 2012. There is nobody on the schedule next year that the Cougars can’t beat if things go right.  Riley Nelson has solidified his position as “The Guy” at quarterback, and plenty of players return from last season. 

This spring was supposed to be a time to work in a backup quarterback  and figure out who to “plug in” to spots vacated by graduating players, but it hasn’t quite worked out that way yet.  Basically, this spring has been all about two situations: a rash of injuries and trying to groom a backup quarterback. 

The list of injuries is incredibly long for spring practice.  Without getting into specifics, here is a list of people who have missed time: Kyle Van Noy, Brandon Ogletree, Ross Apo, JD Flalslev, Uani Unga, Trevor Brown (out for 2012 season), Devin Mahina, Jordan Smith, Rhen Brown, Mitch Mathews, DeQuan Everett, Fono Vakalahi, Michael Yeck, and Marques Johnson. 

Injuries are a part of the game, but this is a large amount for spring practice.   Coach Mendenhall has been positive throughout the process, taking advantage of the opportunity to develop depth and give younger players more reps with the first team.  It also gives a chance to cross-train players for multiple positions. 

Basically, coach Mendenhall hasn’t pushed the panic button, so we won’t, but it would be nice to think that most of the players who have been injured will be back and at full strength for the season.  As often happens, though, the spring game will now be what the staff is describing as a “short scrimmage,” because there aren’t enough players left at some positions to field two full teams. 

One of the main problems is at offensive line, where too many freshmen are getting reps.  It’s great for the freshmen, but they are facing guys up to five years older than they are, and just don’t have enough muscle yet to compete.  Consequently, it is very difficult for the team to run the offense.   It has gotten to a point where the offense is accomplishing more in seven on seven drills than in full team drills. 

The Cougars will benefit from this in the fall, but for right now, the coaching staff is a bit frustrated.  Luckily, the schedule doesn’t start nearly as tough as the 2011 schedule did.  The first game is at home against Washington State, and the second one is at home against Weber State.  This gives the team two full games before the ‘payback’ game at Utah. 

The Washington State matchup should be entertaining.  The Cougars vs Cougars matchup will be a nice storyline, but the pre-game hype will center around one person: new Head Coach Mike Leach.  Leach will make Wazoo a lot better team, but expect them to have all sorts of trouble executing a new offense for the first time against a defense like that of BYU. 

We will cover this and the other opponents more in future posts, but the bottom line is that Coaches Mendenhall and Doman will have plenty of time to get the offense moving, and should win plenty of games in 2012.

The battle for backup quarterback has been fairly even, with senior James Lark in the lead for the moment.  When Jake Heaps decided that he was too good to play backup quarterback and transferred, he left the Cougars in, as OC Brandon Doman remarked, “a bind.”  Doman’s evaluation of the situation is as follows: “James gives us our best chance to win if Riley isn’t out there.” 

Other than Nelson and Lark, the current quarterbacks on the team are freshman Taysom Hill, sophomore Ammon Olsen, and junior Jason Munns.  Hill and Olsen led their high school teams to state championships, and both are returning from their missions.  Recruit Tanner Mangum, who was slated to arrive in the fall, has announced that he will leave for his mission in July.

Our guess here is that Lark starts out as the backup, but that one of the underclassmen steps up and takes the job before the season is up.  Because Nelson and Lark both graduate, it is mandatory that the staff find playing time for one or more of the younger quarterbacks.  Otherwise, the Cougars will enter 2013 without a single quarterback who has any game experience whatsoever. 

If we were going to hazard a guess as to which quarterback sees the field in 2012, it would be Taysom Hill.  That being said, plenty of things can change in the course of a season, and you never know who is going to stand up and be counted.   For example, many people had written Riley Nelson off, and had Jake Heaps penciled in as the quarterback of the present and future for the Cougars.  We all know how that worked out.

Because of missions, BYU quarterbacks have a different curve than most.  They spend their missions regressing a bit physically as far as football is concerned, but the chronological, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth they attain on those missions (usually) more than compensates for their lack of practice time. 

Also, by the time a Cougar quarterback returns from his mission, all of his high school hype has been forgotten.  It actually takes a lot of pressure off of the quarterback, because there are no unrealistic expectations.  The quarterbacks themselves come back with far less ego and a larger commitment to team play and leadership than one who hasn’t gone on a mission. 

Maturity, commitment, and perspective are what allowed Riley Nelson to reclaim his starting job last season, and those traits are an essential part of Cougar football. 

So, what does this mean at the quarterback position?  It means not to worry.  The position will be in good hands this season as long as the offensive line can keep Nelson protected against too many hits, and will be in good hands for 2013 and beyond.  Even when it looks like everyone else is getting star quarterbacks and the Cougars are making do with less, somebody always steps up and performs.   And they do it with honor and maturity.  There are quite a few schools in the FBS who would have much better teams if they had the current crop of Cougar quarterbacks.

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

BYU Spring Football Report

BYU - Biggest Comeback in NCAA Tournament History

They came ready to play.  They were one of the last teams to make it into the tournament, and know that nobody expects them to do anything.  They came out with heart and hustle, and immediately made the basketball world think they might have been wrong to dismiss them.  Unfortunately, on Tuesday night, for the first fourteen minutes, that description was of Iona, not the Cougars. 

The Cougars were down 25 points, and even their most loyal fans could have been forgiven for changing the channel.  Those who did are probably kicking themselves right now.   During the last 6:12 of the first half, the Cougars outscored Iona, 16-6, and were down a manageable fifteen points at the half. 

Iona briefly got their lead back up to 18 with 7:20 left, but after that it was mostly Cougars.  The Cougars would outscore the Gaels 34-10 the rest of the way, and escape Dayton with a victory that wasn’t nearly as easy as many thought it would be. 

As usual, it was a team effort.  Noah Hartsock was the hero of the game, with 23 points and five rebounds.  Brandon Davies chipped in with 18 points and 18 rebounds.  Demarcus Harrison contributed a very important 12 points off the bench,  and Anson Winder had eight.   Craig Cusick came off the bench for 8 assists in 26 minutes, and was a huge steadying influence at PG off the bench. 

It seems that a different hero steps up every game for this team, and last night was no exception.  Whether it was Cusick’s steady hand, Harrison’s crucial three-pointers, Brandon Davies’ neutralization of the Gales inside, or Noah Hartsock seemingly carrying the team on his back at the end, there was no shortage of heroes for the Cougars. 

So, how did the Cougars get so far behind in the first place?  There were a number of factors, but three were most important.  First of all, the Cougars hadn’t played for ten days and were rusty.  The second factor was that the shots just didn’t go down for most of the first half.  There is really nothing that can be done about those two factors.

The third factor, though, was solely on the Cougars: they got suckered into playing Iona’s tempo for the first sixteen minutes of the game.  This is when a point guard has to take control.  This is when a senior has to take control.  This is when the head coach has to take control.  For some reason, for those sixteen minutes, the Cougars looked like mere passengers while the Gaels were driving the limo.  Nobody wanted to be the person who slowed the game down and forced the Gaels to play the Cougars’ tempo. 

Finally, something got through.  We didn’t have access to the bench, so we have no idea what happened, but the Cougars finally started playing their game.  Without a Jimmer Fredette, the Cougars aren’t going to win a full-court, 100-point game with anyone.  The Cougars have to patiently run their half-court offense instead of jacking up shots in the first eight seconds of the shot clock.  This maximizes the Cougars’ skill set, and also makes it easier to get back on defense, where they can force the other team to run their half-court offense. 

Once the Gales were forced to play defense on every possession, once they were forced to run their half-court offense, the maturity and talent of the Cougars finally started to show.  This game took a lot longer to wrap up than it should have, but the important thing is that the Cougars got things turned around and played their style of basketball long enough to win and move on. 

Now, it’s on to Louisville and a matchup against Marquette.  Marquette finished in second place in the Big East, and won 13 of their last 15 regular season games.  They would lose to eventual champion Louisville in the Big East Tournament.   Seniors Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom are the best players for the Golden Eagles this year. 

6-6 Forward Crowder was named the Big East player of the year.  He averaged 17.6 points per game, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.  6-2 guard Johnson-Odom averaged 18.3 points per game for second in the Big East, averaged 40.5 percent from the three-point line, and was fourth in the Big East with 2.34 3-pointers per game. 

Both players are versatile on offense and defense, and have provided a lot of leadership to the Golden Eagles this season.  Crowder could probably play the 1,2,3, or 4 for any team in the country.  Johnson-Odom is a lot like Crowder but smaller.  When push comes to shove, Crowder will handle the dirty work inside in the half-court offense.   Stopping them will be the key to the Cougars’ hopes for an upset. 

It’s been a very good season for a team that wasn’t projected to win a lot of games this year, but we are afraid it will end in Louisville.  Marquette has a lot of solid role players, like the Cougars do, but the Cougars are going to have a very hard time matching up with Crowder and Johnson-Odom. 

If the Cougars are to win and extend their season, somebody is going to have to help out Noah Hartsock and hit a few shots from outside.  We think Crowder will be his defender, and Crowder might be the best he has seen all year.   On the other end, the Golden Eagles are very good at running their half-court offense. 

Outside of Provo, there aren’t a lot of people giving the Cougars much of a chance on Thursday.  Since basketball is a funny game, and the rim can be extremely fickle, no team with reasonable talent can be dismissed as having no chance to win. 

This time, though, the Cougars are looking at a team that mirrors their own admirable mental qualities, but has a lot more three and four star recruits.  We are hoping for the best, but are guessing that the Cougars stay in this one late, only to lose by about ten in the last few minutes.

Either way, it’s been a very good year, and we’ll always have the greatest comeback in NCAA Tournament history to look back on.

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

Cougars Cap Biggest Comeback in NCAA Tournament History

BYU In March Madness 2012?

The Cougars did exactly what “chalk” expected them to do at the West Coast Conference Tournament.  They beat San Diego, 73-68, but lost to Gonzaga, 77-58.  Jerry Palm of CBS Sports has the Cougars in as a ten seed.  Joe Linardi has them in as a twelve seed.  The good news is that their RPI rank has been hovering, seemingly forever, at 47.  The bad news is that their RPI rank has been hovering, seemingly forever, at 47.

The committee will look at strengths and weaknesses in the Cougars’ record.  The strong points are as follows:

Win over Gonzaga.

1-0 vs. 26-50.

3-0 vs. 51-75.

9-2 vs. 101-200.

10-0 vs. 201+.

25-8 overall record.

There is one bad point here that may convince the committee to pass them over, though:

1-7 vs. Top 25…

The Tournament Committee always has to consider a number of factors when deciding who gets into the tournament.  The main problem for them is deciding which conferences get how many bids.  A lot of the work is done for them when the dominant team of a minor conference wins the conference tournament.  That also provides more bids for schools from mid major conferences such as the WCC, or major conferences. 

One thing we don’t want to see this weekend is any gross underdog winning its conference tournament.  That will take an extra berth out of the pool, as a team that wasn’t going to get in gets an automatic berth.   Also, for a bubble team from a major conference, one upset in the conference tournament can sometimes be enough to get them in.

The Cougars will benefit most from the Pac 12’s weakest year in a long time.  The Pac 12 is currently projected to have two teams in, which is unheard of for a major conference in this era.  The “troubles” at USC and UCLA, combined with the inexplicable inability of Arizona or Arizona State to field a tournament-worthy team, pretty much adds three berths to the “pool” for everyone else. 

Let’s take a look at a couple of bubble teams and see how they stack up.  First, we’ll take a quick look at some teams that Palm has projected as making the field.  His projections, though very accurate, are projections of who would make it based on today’s record.  In other words, these are all teams that would provide benefit to the Cougars by losing in their conference tournaments in the first round. 

UConn:  The Huskies are 19-12 overall and 8-10 in the Big East.  They haven’t played all that well this year, but they are the defending NCAA Champions.  If it comes down to the last spot and it is between UConn and anyone else, UConn will get the last berth.   For today, it is recommended that you become a West Virginia fan.

Northwestern:  The Wildcats are 18-12 and 8-10 in the Big Ten.  They beat Michigan State, but are 1-10 against the top fifty.  They would be the Big Ten’s seventh berth.  Cheer for Michigan to beat them in their first round game.

Seton Hall:  The Pirates are 20-11 and 8-10 in the Big East.  They play Louisville tonight.  A win and they are a lock.

Xavier:  Xavier is 19-11 and 10-6 in the Atlantic 10.  They  won at Vanderbilt.  That is pretty much their entire resume.   Their brawl with Cincinnati earlier this season might be THE political factor that keeps them out.  They play Dayton next.  It would be a huge upset if they lose, but one can always hope.

Mississippi State:  21-10 overall and 8-8 in the SEC.  This team really has no distinguishing factors.  My guess is that they absolutely have to avenge their  loss to Georgia  in their next game to make it.  Go Dawgs.

The next group is teams that are seen as having a chance, but needing to spring an upset or two to make it in.

Tennessee: 18-13 overall but 10-6 in the SEC.  Tennessee is one of a few teams that started out with terrible non-conference records but finished with a good record in a major conference.  Their 0-5 record against top 25 teams won’t help.  Recent problems with the NCAA may be the political factor that keeps them out.  They probably have to make the final game of the SEC Tournament to get in.  That probably isn’t happening.

South Florida:  The Bulls are 19-12 overall and 12-6 in the Big East.  They are led by a freshman PG who had to “learn on the job.”  Their 7-6 non-conference record may keep them out.  Also, they don’t have a reputation, which is a situation that could be very beneficial to the Cougars.  Of all the teams on the bubble, this team is almost a mirror image of the Cougars on the floor.  They win with defense and balanced scoring.   They don’t have any star athletes, and they currently have nobody averaging double figures.   Our guess:  they need two wins in the Big East Tournament to get in.

NC State:  The Wolfpack are 20-11 and 9-7 in the ACC.  Our guess is that one win in the ACC Tournament gets them in.  They are 0-8 against the top 50, but we think the ACC affiliation and NC State’s occasional flirtations with glory in their past causes the committee to give them a “knee-jerk” berth.

Cal and Washington:  We are putting both teams in the same boat here.  Cal is 23-8 overall and 13-5 in the Pac 12.  Washington is 21-9 overall and 14-4 in the conference.   Cheer for one of these teams to win the Pac 12 Tournament.  We see the Pac 12 getting at least two berths as a courtesy.  If another team wins the tournament, one of these teams will take an “extra” slot.

We think the Cougars have done a good enough job and deserve to be in the NCAA Tournament, but anything can happen with the selection committee.  One more win against Gonzaga would have made the Cougars a lock, but now they are going to have to wait. 

The one silver lining here is the possibility of an 11 or 12 seed.  Those will guarantee that the Cougars don’t have to face a number one or two team until the second week.  It is extremely difficult to get to the second week from the 7-10 slots, because you face the one or two seed in the second game. 

Either way, it’s been a very good season for the Cougars, and a great coaching job by Dave Rose, with a sixth straight season of 25 or more wins.  When Jimmer Fredette graduated, there weren’t a lot of people who gave the Cougars much of a chance to win 20 games this year; 25 wins is a testament to the coaching staff and a fine group of coachable players. 

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

It’s All in the Hands of the Committee Now

The regular season ended last week with mixed, but predictable, results.  The Cougars lost on the road to Gonzaga, and rebounded on Senior Day to beat Portland.  Gonzaga is the toughest place in the conference to play.  Their fans do a great job of creating a home court advantage, where energy, bounces, and calls always seem to go to the home team.  If one had projected the Cougars to go 15-1 in the conference, the “1” would have been at Gonzaga.

The Cougars finished at 12-4 for third place in the conference, and 24-7 overall.  One would think that this would be enough to guarantee a NCAA Tournament berth.  Jerry Palm of CBS, who seems to be the most accurate, has the Cougars as an 11^th seed at the moment.  Joe Linardi at ESPN currently has the Cougars as a 12^th seed. 

For some reason, though, both have St Mary’s and Gonzaga as 7^th seeds.  The Cougars finished one game behind Gonzaga and two behind St Mary’s, and are very similar in overall records.  So, why are the Cougars seen as being four or five seeds worse than either?  It is almost understandable with St Mary’s, who beat the Cougars twice this season, but why Gonzaga? 

The Cougars split with Gonzaga this year,  and are 24-7 compared to Gonzaga’s 24-5.  Gonzaga, somehow, is currently 21st in the RPI rankings, while St Mary’s is 31^st.   The Cougars, though, are ranked 48^th.  The RPI is supposed to be a fair, numbers-driven rating system, but it appears for all intents and purposes that the RPI falls for the same media hype concerning Gonzaga that the voters do. 

Only eight programs in the NCAA have won 25 or more games each of the previous four seasons.  The Cougars are one of them, along with St Mary’s and Gonzaga.  The Cougars currently have as many wins as Gonzaga (24) and one less than St Mary’s (25).  This poses a rather obvious question: why doesn’t the name “BYU” command as much national respect as those of Gonzaga and St Mary’s when it comes to the basketball ratings? 

On Friday night, the Cougars are scheduled to play the winner of Thursday night’s game between San Diego and Pepperdine.  If they win, it produces a fifth straight season of 25 or more wins during what everyone saw as a “rebuilding year.”  More importantly, though, it sets up a “rubber match” with Gonzaga on a neutral court. 

If the Cougars take care of business, they will be playing their most important game of the season when it comes to national perception.  They will have an opportunity to get the upper hand on media favorite Gonzaga on national TV.  They will also have an opportunity to knock Gonzaga out of the “consecutive seasons of 25 or more wins” discussion.  

If the Cougars win this game, I can’t see how Gonzaga could possibly finish above BYU in the RPI, the polls, or the NCAA Tournament selection committee.  If they lose this game, they could once again be a “bubble team.”  The problem here is that if the Cougars win this game but lose to St Mary’s, they will end up with a dreaded 7-10 seed, which means they would have to play a 1 or 2 seed next if they win their first NCAA Tournament game.  

Consequently, if the Cougars do beat Gonzaga, they have to find a way to get the job done against St Mary’s if they want a good chance of making it to the second week of the Tournament.  St Mary’s sustained three of their losses after the injury to guard Stephen Holt, who averaged “only” 10.4 points and 3.3 assists per game, but was very important to their team dynamic. 

The Cougars still aren’t really shooting the ball very well, but they still have a great chance of beating both Gonzaga and St Mary’s.  They could make a big statement by winning the WCC Tournament this weekend.  Either way, it’s been a very good season, and a great “rebound” from losing Jimmer Fredette to graduation. 

Thank You to Charles Abouo and Noah Hartsock

With the end of every season comes Senior Day, and with it, a chance to thank and recognize graduating seniors for their contributions.  With Charles Abouo and Noah Hartsock, it is easy.  They are two of the toughest young men to play basketball in Provo. 

Charles Abouo didn’t get to be a starter on a regular basis until this season.  He has spent his four years in Provo playing hard, playing tough, being one of the “glue guys,” and doing the little things that help teams win close games.  His first three years, the team didn’t need another scorer because they had Jimmer Fredette, so Abouo simply did whatever he could to help his team win. 

He never complained about his lot, and just kept on working.  He saw his efforts rewarded this year when he became a starter.  His current stats are 11.5 points a game, 2.7 assists, and 6.3 rebounds, but his effect on the game goes beyond his stats.  He was never a star, and isn’t flashy, but Charles Abouo is just as responsible as anyone else on the team for what appears to be a fifth consecutive season of 25 or more wins.

As for Noah Hartsock, he played a lot more right away.  At 6-8, his height was needed to help give the team some inside presence to go with a guard-heavy team.  He lead the team in rebounding and blocks as a sophomore, was named the team’s most inspirational player as a junior, and has been instrumental in the Cougars’ season as a senior.  He missed the last two games with injuries to his calf, ankle, and knee, and may or may not be available for the WCC Tournament.  The loss to Gonzaga demonstrated his importance to the team. 

To Charles and Noah: thanks for your efforts the last four years.  You will always have a fond place in the hearts of many Cougar fans, including this one.

Brandon Davies, Noah Hartsock, and Matt Carlino Honored by WCC

Noah Hartsock and junior Brandon Davies were named to the All-WCC First Team.  Unlike many such teams, the WCC First Team consists of ten members.  Still, being named two of the best ten players in the league is an honor. 

Freshman guard Matt Carlino, who transferred from a dysfunctional situation at UCLA to the relative calm of BYU, was named to the 5-member WCC All-Freshman Team, while getting honorable mention for all-conference. 

Congratulations to all three for their WCC honors.  We will cover more of this in the post-season wrap-up, which we hope doesn’t happen for at least another month.

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

NCAA Tournament Bid Still Uncertain, but Looking Better

It was an interesting week in the WCC.  The Cougars went 2-0, with victories over San Francisco and Santa Clara.  Gonzaga went 1-1, beating Santa Clara but losing a stunner to San Francisco.  St Mary’s had the greatest fall from grace of all, going 0-2 with near-blowout losses to LMU and Murray State. 

So, where does this leave the Cougars?  They are tied for second place in the conference with Gonzaga at 11-3, while St Mary’s still leads at 12-2.  At this point, BYU, Gonzaga, and St Mary’s are all projected to get into the NCAA Tournament, but losses to lesser teams hurt both Gonzaga and St Mary’s in the rankings. 

At this point, Jerry Palm at CBS has Gonzaga as a seven seed, St Mary’s as an eighth seed, and the Cougars as an 11-seed.  The losses by Gonzaga and St Mary’s have left St Mary’s as the only team ranked in a major poll; they are 23^rd in the coaches’ poll.   Inexplicably, the Cougars are still shut out of all of the major polls. 

We find it especially curious that the MWC currently has three teams in the coaches’ top 25.  We feel that the WCC is as good as the MWC this year, and that a two and two distribution would be a better indication of the relative strength of the two conferences. 

The worst factor here is that the Cougars went 2-0, and fell from 46^th in the RPI last week to 50^th this week.  For comparison, Gonzaga is still at 21^st, and St Mary’s fell to 40^th.  With the amount of small conference champions in the grid, 50^th in the RPI is still squarely on the bubble.  Apparently, RPI won’t be the only factor involved. 

The way things are shaking down, the game at Gonzaga on Thursday, while not a “must-win,” is extremely important.  The Cougars could knock the Zags out of top 25 consideration, and might even be able to take their place.  If the Zags win, though, they will probably be back in the top 25. 

We hope the selection committee does the right thing in regards to the Cougars, but winning the conference tournament is the only sure way to take it out of the committee’s hands and guarantee an NCAA Tournament berth. 

So, how did the Cougars get their wins last week?  The near-upset loss on the road against San Francisco was the Matt Carlino show.  Carlino scored 30 points and had the game-winning basket with only 21 seconds left on the clock, as the Cougars pulled out an 85-84 victory. 

Noah Hartsock added 16 points and Charles Abouo had 15 points.  The Cougars shot 36-67 for 53.7 percent from the field, and 7-17 for 41.2 percent from the three point line.  This was a lot better than they had been shooting, and they needed every single point. 

On defense, the Cougars held USF to 33-70 for 47.1 percent from the field and 10-32 for 31.3 percent from the three point line.  This game was a lot faster-paced than usual, with the Cougars scoring 49 points in the first half for their best first half of the year. 

Carlino scored 22 of his points in the first half, including his first six shots, and 20 points in the first eight minutes.  He also added 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals.  Carlino’s 30 points were the most scored by a Cougar since Jimmer Fredette’s last game, when he scored 32 against Florida. 

The inside game could have been a bit better, though, and it was what allowed USF to stay close and almost pull off the upset.  The Dons outrebounded the Cougars 42-32.  On the surface, it was just “one of those games” that the Cougars were lucky to win.  Really, though, it just illustrates that the Cougars will do whatever it takes to win.  Some days they win with defense and inside play, and Thursday night they won with timely outside shooting. 

Either way, a win is a win, and is always welcome. 

On Saturday, the Cougars returned to their more familiar game of slower tempo, tough defense, and good rebounding, as they ground down Santa Clara 82-67.  Noah Hartsock had 21 points, Brandon Davies had 20 points, and Charles Abouo contributed 14 points along with a game-high 8 rebounds.  Matt Carlino fought off an injury all night and only scored two points, down from his previous 30, but had a game-high seven assists.  Brock Zylstra took up some of the slack with 12 points off the bench, including 2-3 from the three point line. 

The Cougars shot 31-53 for 58.5 percent, with most of the shots coming from inside.  They only went 3-12 for 25 percent from the three-point line.  Doing the math, that works out to 28-41 for 68.3 percent inside the line.  Rebounds were even on the night at 30 for each team.  On defense, BYU held Santa Clara to 23-56 for 41.1 percent shooting, and 5-17 for 29.4 percent from the three point line. 

This game was very closely contested for the first thirty minutes before the Cougars were finally able to pull away from the Broncos. 

The only bad part of the Santa Clara game is that both Noah Hartsock and Matt Carlino limped away from the game.  Carlino plans on being close to full strength on Thursday, while Hartsock is being listed as “day-to-day.”  Our forecast: Hartsock would rather play on crutches than miss this game.  If there is any way he is able, he will talk the coaching staff into letting him try to play. 

If Hartsock can’t play, however, it will make the Gonzaga game a lot tougher to win.  The only good thing to come of it would be that he can be fully rested and healed for the WCC Tournament next week. 

Either way, we expect the game at Gonzaga to be closely-contested.  The Cougars have had their number so far, beating them in last year’s NCAA Tournament and then beating them at home earlier this year.  We’ll see what the Zags can do with home-court advantage.  Win or lose at Gonzaga, a victory at home over Portland to end the regular season is a must. 

The only thing that can be said for sure is that if the Cougars keep winning, they will have a spot in the NCAA Tournament in their first year AJ (After Jimmer).  That would be a very nice accomplishment.

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

Cougars Still in Hunt for NCAA Tournament Bid

With their easy 86-48 win over Pepperdine, the Cougars stayed on track for an NCAA Tournament appearance, but it isn’t over yet by any means. 

We’ll start with the good news.  The Cougars had four starters in double figures.  The fifth, Noah Hartsock, had only nine points this time around, but added three blocks, three assists, and five rebounds while playing only 23 minutes. 

Charles Abouo lead the way with 23 points and 12 rebounds, ending what many saw as a slump with a monster game.  Brandon Davies had 13 points and seven rebounds, while Matt Carlino and Anson Winder had ten points each. 

The bad news is that the shooting isn’t quite “back” yet, with the Cougars going 27-65 for 41.5 percent from the field, and 12-32 for 37.5 percent from behind the three-point line.  Luckily, this time they were able to “out-personnel” the Waves and they didn’t really need a high shooting percentage. 

Also, the Cougars once again played very, very well on the defensive end of the floor.  The best way to combat spotty shooting is to make the other team shoot worse.  The Cougars did that, holding the Waves to 21-63 for 33.3 percent from the floor, and 2-16 for an almost-laughable 12.5 percent from three-point range. 

All-in-all, the Cougars took care of business, and now have four games left on their WCC schedule before the tournament.  San Francisco is a must-win at this point, and so are Santa Clara and Portland.  The game they can afford to lose is at Gonzaga, and it could very well happen that way. 

Strange things happen in Gonzaga’s gym, and the calls often go to the home team there.  Ever since Gonzaga became one of the first smaller-conference teams to get a reputation as a “bracket-buster,” they have been media darlings.  Their victory over St Mary’s this week gave them a spot in the top 25, while the Cougars are still unranked. 

At this point, Jerry Palm of CBS, who we feel is the most accurate predictor of tournament seeds, has the Cougars as one of the last four in.  We don’t know if he follows football, but he has the Cougars playing UCF in the “First Four.”  He has Gonzaga as a six seed, and St Mary’s as a four seed, while the Cougars are a 12 at this point. 

This brings up a sad reality of college sports: politics.  The WCC is a smaller conference, and it is going to be tough to get three teams in.  Due to Gonzaga’s place in the media-dictated food chain, they are going to get the benefit of the doubt over the Cougars, especially the post-Jimmer Cougars.  St Mary’s deserves a slot, too.  So, it will be up to the Cougars to “earn their way in” over the last few games. 

If the Cougars can run the table for the regular season, they should have a berth pretty much locked up with one win in the conference tournament.  They should even be able to afford a loss to Gonzaga on the road, but might have to win two games to get a berth. 

There are two big roadblocks for the Cougars right now.  The first is the possibility of two losses in the next four games.   If that happens, they will probably have to win the conference tournament to get in.  The other main negative here is that if someone besides St Mary’s, Gonzaga, or BYU wins the WCC Tournament, it will knock one of those teams out. 

In other words, there is no way the WCC gets four teams into the NCAA Tournament.  San Francisco is dangerous, as is Loyola Marymount.  Either of those teams could get hot at the right time and win the WCC Tournament.  If this happens, one of the three teams that currently deserve a berth will not get one. 

So, who do we cheer for?  The obvious choice is for the Cougars to run the table, or at least win the WCC Tournament for the automatic berth.  Otherwise, cheer for the trio of St Mary’s, Gonzaga, and BYU to not lose to anyone but each other the rest of the way out. 

This brings us to an interesting question.  What happens if the Cougars sweep Gonzaga but don’t get in?  It isn’t likely, but because of NCAA politics, there is a slight chance that the Cougars could beat Gonzaga twice, only to watch the Zags get a tournament berth while the Cougars play in the NIT. 

Would it be fair?  Of course not.  But stranger things have happened when the NCAA Tournament Committee gets together. 

So, let’s take a look at San Francisco.  The Cougars dispatched them easily last month at the Marriott Center, 81-56.  After that game, the Dons were 10-7 overall and 0-4 in the conference.   Since then, the Dons have gone 7-3, for a 17-10 overall record and a 7-6 conference record. 

The Cougars can’t afford to underrate or look past this team.  We’re sure Coach Rose is drilling that into their heads as we speak, and that the upperclassmen on the team won’t allow it to happen, but the Cougars will  have to be at their best to avoid what could be a crushing blow to their NCAA Tournament hopes. 

Remember that the Dons will be at home, are playing with a lot more confidence, and have revenge on their minds after losing by 25 points in their first meeting.   Of all four games, this is now the most important one, because it is one the Cougars could very realistically lose, and one that would be devastating if they did.

If the Cougars can win this one, they should have enough of a cushion to afford a loss at Gonzaga if it happens.  If they lose on Thursday, they have to beat Gonzaga or win the WCC Tournament to get into the NCAA Tournament.

We predict a much closer game this time, with the Cougars pulling it out, 66-60.   

Post from: BYU Sports Guy

Cougars Stay on Road to NCAA Tournament