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It’s gorgeous how far, and how briskly, BYU basketball has fallen.
Can the Cougars get again up?
A mere two weeks in the past, BYU had a 17-4 document; it was projected as a No. 7 seed within the NCAA Event; it was one spot out of the Related Press Prime 25; it was in second place within the West Coast Convention; and it had a NCAA NET rating of No. 28.
Then got here an unexpected, inexplicable, precipitous collapse.
Proper now, after two depressing weeks, the Cougars are in a lot totally different place and the season outlook has fully modified.
It began with a last-second loss at Santa Clara, adopted by a head-scratching setback to a Pacific workforce on a seven-game shedding streak and a NET rating above No. 300. Then, final week, BYU suffered back-to-back, double-digit house losses to San Francisco and No. 2 Gonzaga, respectively.
Two weeks in the past, the Cougars had by no means misplaced consecutive common season video games beneath coach Mark Pope.
Now, BYU (17-8, 5-5) is projected as a No. 11 seed and one of many final 4 groups within the event; it's in sixth place within the WCC standings — for a program that has by no means completed decrease than third within the convention — they usually sit at No. 45 within the NET rankings.
It’s considerably wonderful that BYU, regardless of this four-game shedding streak, continues to be thought-about an NCAA Event workforce. That’s a testomony to its general efficiency through the season. They personal a 9-7 document in Quad 1 and Quad 2 video games.
So the place do the Cougars go from right here?
Pope has been speaking about his workforce “reinventing” itself. However time is working out.
BYU has 5 common season video games remaining earlier than the WCC Event in Las Vegas. The Cougars play at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine — that are in ninth and tenth place within the WCC standings — this weekend, then go to No. 22 Saint Mary’s. They shut out the season at house towards LMU and Pepperdine.
What offers Pope confidence that his workforce can end the season robust and rediscover profitable?
“Our perception in one another, which is being challenged ... I believe that's the basis of every part. Our enthusiasm and love for this sport is essential additionally,” he stated. “That’s what carries you thru these moments. And the third factor, is our means to write down our personal story. We get to write down our personal ending to this story. We are able to’t write the story that occurred (Saturday towards Gonzaga), it’s already accomplished. We are able to’t write what occurred the final 13 days earlier than tonight, both. However we are able to write the following seven and the following one. These three issues mixed is the place we’re residing proper now.”
Bruised, however not damaged
Former BYU star Tyler Haws, the college’s all-time main scorer, can empathize with what this Cougar workforce goes by way of.
Haws remembers throughout his junior 12 months, in 2013-14, his workforce misplaced 4 consecutive video games through the center of the season, together with back-to-back video games at LMU and Pepperdine.
“That was a darkish, darkish time,” remembered Haws, who's now a BYUtv analyst. “There have been workforce conferences and conferences with administration. Neighbors and buddies have been saying, ‘Don’t fear about it. There’s all the time subsequent 12 months.’ I used to be like, ‘What?’ We had 2 ½ months to play. That’s the problem. Not solely are you feeling the strain, you have got everybody else considering they've the solutions. I bear in mind saying, ‘Please don’t assume that you just care greater than I do.’ We have been attempting to determine this out. I do know these gamers and coaches are feeling that manner.”
The Cougars managed to show issues round they usually ended up going to the NCAA Event in 2014.
Haws stated the current losses to Santa Clara and Pacific have been bewildering as a result of the offense usually performed effectively and the protection didn't.
“Then the following two video games (towards USF and Gonzaga), all of the bleeding simply continued,” Haws stated. “Te’Jon (Lucas) went down after which guys have been actually questioning. Whenever you lose a sport, you possibly can actually begin doubting your self and never belief the issues that gotten you to the place you might be. There was undoubtedly some doubting and questioning towards San Francisco and Gonzaga. They weren’t enjoying with the kind of confidence that they've all 12 months. Do I believe it’s damaged? No, I don’t. There’s nonetheless loads to play for. However confidence may be very fragile proper now. They’re in a troublesome spot.”
Making changes
All through the season, BYU has gained video games primarily as a result of its protection and rebounding.
However in current weeks, the Cougars have slipped in these areas. To compound issues, their offense has been “somewhat sticky, somewhat discombobulated, somewhat missing belief,” in response to Pope, marked by poor taking pictures and a propensity for turnovers.
The previous two weeks, BYU has been outrebounded general and it's taking pictures lower than 40% from the ground, lower than 30% from 3-point vary, and fewer than 70% from the free-throw line. On prime of that, the Cougars have 22 extra turnovers than assists in these 4 video games.
Former BYU participant Mark Durrant, a longtime BYU Radio analyst, provided his ideas for what the Cougars have to do shifting ahead.
“I've full confidence in (BYU’s teaching workers). They’re figuring this out,” Durrant instructed BYUtv. “They’re not a very potent offensive workforce to start with. Groups are taking away Alex Barcello. BYU runs that weave, the place the publish units a excessive display screen they usually swap and double. Their important objective is, Alex Barcello gained’t get attractiveness and gained’t beat us. Everyone else, what do you bought? Are you able to beat us? What I’d prefer to see is BYU take a unique strategy offensively and attempt to work from the within out reasonably than run the perimeter and attempt to assault the within from the perimeter. Attempt to get Fousseyni (Traore) much more touches and work the offense by way of him. He’s taken a step again however he’s an amazing participant and a very good passer. Get the ball within the paint and don’t power it … then kick it again out to the perimeter. That can assist Alex. Groups must assist defensively and collapse and Alex will get some photographs. It is advisable take a brand new strategy. One thing wants to alter together with your offensive schemes as a result of groups comprehend it too effectively they usually’re taking away Alex Barcello.”
Haws stated BYU’s teaching workers will make “little tweaks” to the offense that ought to give the gamers confidence.
“Pope’s fashion is controlling the tempo and shifting the ball from side-to-side. Analytics let you know that you just rating extra factors that manner. The numbers communicate for themselves the final three years,” Haws stated. “Their effectivity offensively has been unimaginable. However I do assume there are issues in transition that they might push the envelope somewhat extra and put strain on groups and open up their confidence that manner.”
Defensively, BYU has to recapture what it was doing earlier this season.
“This workforce was a defensive workforce all 12 months lengthy and that’s what’s gotten them wins,” Durrant stated. “Clearly, in case you play Gonzaga, you’re going to get beat. However you don’t must get beat the best way BYU received beat. I believe BYU may have put in a significantly better effort defensively and no less than put up some resistance. They didn’t do a very good job of that. And their rebounding hasn’t been pretty much as good. There are issues that they’re actually good at that they’re not doing proper now. … Should you handle these points, you may get again to the place it is advisable to be.”
Can BYU nonetheless get to the NCAA Event?
Barcello returned to BYU for another season largely to get one other shot on the NCAA Event. Lucas signed with the Cougars final spring for the same purpose.
However that objective could possibly be slipping away.
Pope acknowledged that his workforce’s precarious state of affairs considerations him.
“This has actually harm us when it comes to the event. However our future continues to be in our management. That’s what issues,” he stated. “Now we have taken a bunch of punches the final couple of weeks. Now we have to remain targeted on the truth that every part continues to be forward of us.”
Durrant believes that BYU nonetheless can discover its manner into the Large Dance.
“I believe completely they'll. Clearly, it’s going to rely on what occurs the following three weeks. If they'll deal with enterprise like I believe they need to towards LMU and Pepperdine, they’ll have 4 wins there. Clearly, you don’t take these with no consideration at this level. You may lose to anyone within the convention. BYU has confirmed that. However let’s assume BYU takes care of enterprise there. The massive sport can be towards Saint Mary’s.
“I believe they'll play with the Gaels. Should you win your final 5 common season video games, a type of being Saint Mary’s, who would seemingly be second within the convention and shall be within the event, in case you can say you swept that workforce, that may be a very good case to get into the event,” Durrant continued. “Now, you need to throw within the (WCC Event), if BYU loses Friday or Saturday, that may harm you clearly. Should you get to the semis on Monday, with a five-game profitable streak, I believe BYU can be in. I believe there’s nonetheless sufficient time and sufficient video games to get proper once more in individuals’s minds. However all that stated, that’s a tall bar as a result of this workforce shouldn't be enjoying effectively and issues must change they usually’ll have to search out one thing so as to do this. However there’s a transparent path for them to do it and I believe they'll. Figuring out the teaching workers and the gamers like I do, I totally count on them to determine it out and work out a strategy to win these video games and get into the event. That’s their objective and I believe this can be a workforce that may accomplish it.”
Haws agreed.
“I consider they'll get in (the event). I’m not counting them out. They’re nonetheless in. They’ve had a troublesome stretch, but when they'll present effectively these final 5 video games and present effectively within the (WCC) event, they’ll get some (consideration) for an NCAA bid,” he stated. “Even with their document now, they’ve received some actually notable Quad 1 and Quad 2 wins. You don’t know the place the chips are going to land on the finish of the season. A number of individuals are too fast to say the home is on hearth. Sure, the strain’s on however there’s loads to play for. These gamers and coaches need it greater than anybody may inform them.”
Pope nonetheless believes. He’s maintaining the religion that this workforce can rise above the depths of its current struggles.
“Now we have complete management over our future. That’s a terrific place to be,” he stated. “These guys have all the facility of their palms to make this season no matter they need. We are able to make it one of many biggest comeback tales ever. I really like that. That’s our objective.”