This job is normally for Fish, but I’ll take a swipe at it since the game is tomorrow:
SE LA is in the Southland Conf (same as Houston Christian).
Went 18-14 last year and is 1-1 this year with a respectable loss to Auburn.
Star 6’5" G McFarlane went for 24 and 11 vs Auburn, including 4/7 from deep.
Last year McFarlane averaged 12 and 8 and hit 40% from deep. He’s a player.
Their big is 6’11"/300 Brody Rowbury from Meridian Idaho who averaged 9 and 6 last year and the same this year. Will be interesting to see Fouss try to bully him, because that’s a big guy. He lives just trying to back guys down but that won’t fly with Fouss. Looks super slow and on film has what appears to be about a 3 inch vertical. If Fouss hustles he can beat him down court and establish position.
Against Auburn, SE LA played 8 guards and Rowbury was the only F who played more than 3 minutes. Auburn killed them on the boards.
SE LA had 6 assists on 25 makes. Their offense is pretty much McFarlane and 5’9" PG Eastmond dribbling around and taking shots. In 4 college seasons Eastmond is 29% from deep, so just stay in front of him and he won’t cause trouble.
BYU will kill SE LA on the boards. BYU won’t have to double anyone in the post, so if we rotate properly and stay in front of McFarlane and Eastmond, should be an easy W.
I feel like BYU hoops was humbled pretty solidly last year, failing to meet expectations and looking like a loser even in the pathetic Rec League. I think that was good for the team, because between that and being picked last or near last in the B12 seems to have created a feeling around the team that they have to fight and scrap for every possession. I think we will like what we see the next couple weeks as the team prepares for conference play.
That is why I liked Jerry Sloan teams, they may not have the talent other teams had, but they fought hard to the bitter end.
I remember back when Utah played LA in the playoffs (I think around 1982), Frank Layden was HC and Jerry assistant. LA had Magic and the group who were far better than the Jazz talent at that time. They took LA to 7 games that year. Everyone was surprised at the Jazz performance.
Well, won by 57 points to a team that played Auburn pretty well. We are pretty much 10 deep at this point. There are two others injured who can play as well. Then, if Marcus Adam’s gets a shot, it’s going to be hard for Pope to keep everyone happy.
When we play some talented teams coming up we will know more what to look for in conference. Foose is still at the 5.
BYU is happy and relaxed now but how will they play when the pressure is on and they go against a good team? They did pretty well vs. SDSU in that regard but at home they will do better than on the road every time.
I wish they would be more respectful to an inferior opponent. All the towel waving and jumping up and down is high schoolish and shows a lack of maturity and respect. That isn’t how I want my team to represent. When the scrubs go in with a 50 point lead and only a few minutes left to me that is disrespectful as well, worse when they hit a three and everyone on the bench goes ballistic. It’s embarrassing IMO.
Hall didn’t play as much this game. Wasn’t needed. Robinson went off for 18. SEL played Auburn good and punished them. I know it’s early and the players who will get time need to play together. But the bench warmers need to get out there with more than 3 minutes left.
I saw the celebrating differently than you did–I think the rotation players were just happy that the benchwarmers not only got in but got to score–especially the kid who hit the sweet step-back 3. That kid may go 25 games and never score again. The announcers noted that even the SE LA coach broke into a smile when that kid hit the 3.
The biggest cheerleader for the entire game–and throughout the SDSU game–was Marcus Adams. Marcus seems to be engaged and buying in to this team. That is CRITICAL because we need him to love his team and BYU so that he doesn’t leave for $ in Europe if the NCAA denies his waiver. He could get paid A LOT in Europe right now (more than BYU NIL will pay him), and if his waiver is denied it’s no sure thing he stays at BYU. He could play this year in Europe and be drafted next year. The guys in the program are telling me he’s THAT talented. I’m not holding my breath for the NCAA to Do The Right Thing.
It’s nice of Pope to let the guys at the end of the bench play, but they are not part of the plan right now. BYU has a long rotation. TEN guys are already averaging over 10 minutes played per game:
Additionally, when Dawson Baker is all healed up, I’d expect him to get significant minutes; he’s a scorer. Last year he scored in double figures in 33 of 35 games, including 24 vs #21 Oregon, 14 in a close loss to #24 SDSU, and was the leading scorer (15.3 on 47/37/80 shooting) and one of the two equally best players on a team that finished 24-11 and played in the NCAA tournament.
If Marcus Adams’ waiver is approved, he’s instantly the best player on the team.
So we have 10 guys already getting a lot of minutes and two outstanding players waiting to play. I thought Trey would be out of the rotation when Baker and/or Adams are back, but Trey has played really well and is even making some shots. He’s a fantastic defender, wildly athletic, and a really good ballhandler–I think we will need him to stay in front of B12 PGs.
So Pope has a lot of good players to juggle right now. So far, so good, right?
No. The NCAA couldn’t care less what BYU fans think. The waiver application was submitted a LONG time ago. Every day of additional delay harms BYU and harms Marcus. NCAA didn’t seem to care when K State offered the bag to a BYU roster player who was already enrolled in school.
And Ques Glover hurt his knee, has not appeared in a game yet for K State, and is out another 6-8 weeks.
Okay, McGregor is a walk-on former team manager. That Jordanesque step back 3 was a show of love for someone who won’t see the floor much this year. Good for him.
I just don’t like the crazy display of emotion when the bench warmer scores. It makes them out to be bad players who everyone hopes will get the chance to shine so they can act ridiculous when they do. I know that isn’t how most people feel about it but I’m certainly not most people.
Lets all swing our towels around and whoop it up for the worst player on the team!
That isn’t what any of the team was thinking or why they reacted that way. A couple of them were interviewed about it and they were happy for him and really liked his move. It was a good step back three.
The NCAA is run by Satan. Almost everything related to higher education these days is run by Satan. Okay so I am using a bit of hyperbole, but not much. If Marcus had just announced he is now a woman trying to get a waiver to play for the UCLA women’s team it would have been granted in 5 minutes no matter how many times he had transferred since HS before playing his first game, particularly if one of those schools he had transferred from was BYU.
I missed the game the other night. I didn’t see the big Egyptian Khalifa’s name in the box score. Is he injured?
BYU is small potatoes right now. Wooden’s UCLA teams never would have gotten excited about hammering some 2nd rate team, neither would any any Bobby Knight or coach K team.
We can all dream that BYU will someday be big time and will act like a team where winning big over a 2nd rate opponent is expected.