Very good write up on every team in the WCC
Pres-season, BYU was ranked 3
today, BYU is ranked 6
Where are we now after a couple of league wins? I don’t think we still know. We will know more after two league road games. A real key is if we can limit the bad turnovers. The ones that look like Jr. High school passes. Or, the players who dribble too much.
What seems to be more difficult with all teams is the lack of chemistry due to the transfer portal. In other leagues, it’s the one and done players with the transfer portal. Getting to know each other and the systems is more difficult in today’s game. It might be better for the “metrics” people to wait until league play begins to start figuring teams out.
“That is lucid, well thought-out, intelligent” reply. (Judge Haller- “My Cousin Vinny”)
I will take Kenpom over NET rating any day for predictions.
Yes I know NCAA does use Ken’s ratings as part of their NET rating, however they include more on some other historical variables, meaning W/L of opponents, than Ken does.
Ken did have BYU as low as 6th. Now they are clearly third.
And they are improving rapidly…yes ken does include BYU’s w/l somehow in his calculations, but even just raw stats BYU is dramatically improved and as the 5 losses drop into the rear view their impact on Ken’s calculations will drop yet more.
Team Overall Conf Proj
Gonzaga 12-3 1-0 13-3
Saint Mary’s 12-4 2-0 13-3
BYU 12-5 2-0 9-7
Santa Clara 13-4 1-1 8-8
LMU 11-5 1-1 7-9
It’s a long season and Pope pretty well gave us a good look at this team before they first played a game. They are going to surprise a lot of people sometimes, even though they don’t particularly look that great. If they are going to beat Gonzaga in Provo, this is the year to do it. Take care of business at home and win four more on the road and it’s a good year. It’s not a NCAA tournament year but possibly a NIT year. This team is fun to watch, but sometimes I have to shut off the TV, before I have a stroke😂
And beat SMC at home and at their place then Yes, this is the year to do it! Yes I know it will not be easy against SMC this year.
I think you just perfectly described this team and this season!
One game at a time. I have always looked at Road games to determine our W/Ls, especially in football.
LMU will tell us just were we stand. For 1/2 of the Portland game, We absolutely looked beatable, we poured in 2 threes in a row, broke open the lead and never looked back. LMU has the ability to blow out BYU at home…BYU has proved over the last few games that they can guard the 3, a weakness we always struggle with. So we’ll see
to directly answer your post, Sr. Burton, I love Pomeroy’s metrics and prognosis. He has BYU losing all 4 games with Zags and SMC. Also road games with SFU, LMU, SCU. and barely to Pepperdine. I think this road game of LMU is a statement game. We win there and at SDU Sat., then get Zags at Home. BYU would be flying high. I could see BYU losing 2-3 or Winning on the road 2 games then lose to GU.
BYU’s Achilles is height inside. LMU is not that tall so I am encouraged.
BYU has jumped to 85 on the net, up from 99 just days ago by beating lowly Pacific (212) and Portland (152). We now sit ahead of LMU (92), SF (94) and way ahead of Pepperdine (126). SCU is just barely ahead @82. So road wins are season changing events.
Pomeroy thinks byu loses 8, wins 6 league games. I think we go 9 wins, 5 loses. That is very optimistic.
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sorry Herold, looks like I pretty much wrote the same thing you did, well said and I agree with you.
Deservedly, Gonzaga is always rated high, but, to me, this year, they have some chinks in their armor. They are probably weaker defensively then they have been in sometime. Timme is a really good offensive force, but is not great defensively and there is not anyone else other than Watson to replace Holmgren. If BYU can shut down the outside shooting and concede Timme his 20-26 points, they have a shot in this game. I haven’t watched SMC play this year, but they are generally good and are usually tough to beat, especially on the road. We will see what develops. BYU just does not have that one option that you can rely on game in and game out. It’s more like hope by committee. As for the future, I like Saunders a lot. He has a winning mentality as does Hall. We will see how Hall’s shot making improves the rest of this year and next. Saunders will most likely see less time with the return of Johnson, which is a shame, because he brings energy to the floor and his shot is looking good for a freshman
Gonzaga, best Center, Timme, in college basketball, 2021 and today. BYU has little chance, we are too small and Atiki is fouled out in 5 minutes.
SMC never wastes a possession. They are the complete opposite of BYU, who hemorrhages 20 ppg on TOs alone.
I could see BYU getting hot from 3 in either game to make things competitive. More likely a blowout. LMU will be our Litmus test.
Typical SMC-Timme-great college player-not sure it translates to the NBA. Time answers all questions
You have to have an outside shot. In the great words of Lasse, “No Timme, No”
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