1 Waterman continues to be one of our best players…until we play a ranked team, then he disappears.
We shall see
2 Atiki has two career best games back to back. Is he becoming a threat? or is he playing against some really really bad competition?
3 Knell, another red hot shooting game.
Bet no one saw these three being our top players on the night.
Robinson got the most minutes tonight, and really struggled.
Meh…See my thoughts on playing league games.
We got up by 30 again. Robinson was a bit rusty but buried some nice midrange shots and played good defense after 2 weeks off.
Baker didn’t look as good tonight.
Atiki has made huge strides. Needs to grab the lob passes better. Khalifa is fun to watch and getting into shape. Fouss will be back next Saturday. Not worried about Robinson.
I am worried about Johnson and missing short shots and layups. He was getting lost on defense as well.
Ah, yes…League Play…How can anyone take you seriously when you:
1 Call Baker a point guard. laughing out loud at this point.
2 you question BYU’s best, most consistent player (Johnson)
3 Talk about how good BYU’s big men are.
Are we talking about Foos, who has been good at 6’6 but is injured with the same hammy tears that have plagued him throughout his career??
Are we talking about Atiki, the hot head, who has 2 solid games against crappy teams but averages a foul per 2 mins play against G5 or better teams?
Are we talking about Kalifa? Love his game but can he defend real big men who can move?
Big 12 = bigger, faster, stronger.
Better guards who grab, back you in, hook you on every play.
If a skinny Waterman wants to try guarding a equally tall forward who has 50 lbs of muscle on him, good luck with that. For 2 years, I have watched him play good against poor competition and disappear in every single tough game, so now we believe he will be good in the big 12???
Look at his stats for the Utah game… Advanced Stat Box Score - Customizable College Basketball Tempo Free Stats - T-Rank (barttorvik.com)
21 minutes and ZERO’s across the board
The only thing we can say about BYU at this point is
1 BYU will defend your knee caps and to beat BYU, you will have to play your best ball
2 BYU has to best team unity or chemistry I have seen since the Ainge or Jimmer days.
There is no quit in this team, even if they get down by 20. The team leadership of Jahnson and Knell is obvious. Everyone knows their role.
3 If BYU is hitting it’s 3s, game over. We will beat anyone in the country.
If the 3s are not falling, and BYU is on the road, it is a LOSS in the Big 12.
I stand by my analysis. Funny how you tear down the players and then say we can beat anyone in the country.
Johnson hasn’t been consistent at all lately. As he said last week, he has been sick. He looked weak again yesterday. Missed easy inside shots. Got broken down by guards too easily.
Yes, the centers are ready for better competition since Utah. They all fit in with the team chemistry as well.
Waterman is a question. It’s a wait and see. Can the heavier forwards guard him out on the perimeter? Is Adams ready to play?
Hopper, you see what you want to see. Haft the things you throw out there are argumentative, just to see who will engage you.
What you call tearing down coming from you makes my day. You have spent your life demeaning everyone and everything that does not fit your narrative but I will point out the obvious.
Fact: Waterman has been a different man this season, biggest growth on the team but you can’t hide what he has done in big moments
A big fat Zero points in the SDSU game, OH; and he fouled out in 19 minutes of play and Utah he got another big fat zero. It’s a mental thing. Facts don’t lie.
Let’s take your boy, Baker. he has played a total of 3 games. has 1 assist in the first game, 3 in the 2nd and 2 in the third. So you are saying Baker is a point guard while looking at his work of 3 years at UCI, he averaged 1 assist per 15 possessions. The dude is a BLACK HOLE. How’s that for a tear down.
Personally I love love Baker’s game. He is the one guy that can create a shot at BYU without help, he does not need a PICK, show me one other guy on the entire team that can create a shot without help? plays in control but he is a lifetime finisher, as is Robinson. And in a Pope system, You Will Pass or you will sit, so in three games, Baker is finding open guys.
Robinson and Baker are Finishers. We run plays to get these two open, to make shots, that is what they do.
That is why I belly laughed when you said, “Baker is a Point”. That’s like calling Santa Claus an ELF, wait, I think he is an elf. so confused. Merry Christmas
Here’s how you started your post, “Ah, yes…League Play…How can anyone take you seriously when you:”
A personal attack. Had you left that off I could take your post more seriously too 
To your opinions, and that’s what they are as they are with me. You can’t beat everyone if you have mediocre centers. That was my point. I don’t see them as mediocre on this team. This team plays as one. Each does their job and they are 12-1.
What point guard in the NBA doesn’t breakdown their opponents and create their own shots? He plays few minutes to this point. Yet, he is getting assists. There isn’t many players on this team that couldn’t run the point. Even Robinson could if needed. We need him to play the point as well as the 2 guard because Hall and Stewart get into foul trouble. Nice to have 3 that can play the point and 3 to play the center.
Johnson has been sick and he’s admitted it as well as Knell and others. We seem to be more healthy now. But Johnson gets to the rim and then misses short shots a lot.
Adams is a key if he can play. If Waterman disappears in which I agree with you, Adams, not Sanders, will match up with the size and strength of Big 12 players. Sanders is a potential 3 man. I don’t really like the idea of Fouss playing the 4. He isn’t going to be a big threat for outside shooting. Waterman and Adams can take their man outside and bang inside.
Now, your opinion.
Just when you think Johnson should be pulled, he buries a 3 and makes a great pass or a great defensive effort. He is the type of glue guy that teams need. He is almost always in control and looking to create a play. It’s hard to define his value, but you just know it’s there. I see your point, but he is more often than not he helps this team win and like almost everyone else on BYU’s team are essential to the team’s success
If he’s not well and someone else can make the shots and stay with his man then it doesn’t matter. The team dies well when he’s not in already. If he’s healthy and can make shots and stay with his man then of course he should be playing.
The bigger question coming out of the Wy game is, “Why didn’t Adams play?”.
Only 2 reasons:
Maybe Pope wants to “Release the Kraken” in Conference play.
Probably not that. But it is curious to keep him sitting on the bench
I didn’t see much in the game against Bellarmine. He looked lost and out of shape. Probably as a result of being unable to practice until maybe three weeks ago. You also have to remember he is very young even for a true freshman. I hope he can contribute sometime during conference play.
I am sorry Pope didn’t give him a few minutes in the Wyoming game.
If BYU is serious about Adams contributing this year they need to give him some time, here and there, especially when they have a 30 point lead and about 5 minutes left in the game. I doubt BYU has any laughers left on the schedule so it may be hard to integrate him into the rotation.
Adams wasn’t going to play-not even sure he dressed. He has practiced little and is out of shape and over weight. However-tremendous talent and potential. I’m not really sure he will contribute much this year, but if BYU can get him to stay-look out. I would look more to Baker for being a big asset this year
Don’t know why he did not get minutes. 30 point blowout is a perfect time to get out and run in real game time. I do agree that Adams will blow up the stats, just don’t see how he gets minutes now that BYU will face teams that are all close to Utah talent or better every single game forward.
Ummm…because he’s better and more talented than anyone else on the floor?
I saw him and he was dressed in sweats like Foos was which led me to believe they didn’t plan on using him, which is probably linked to his injury. I don’t have contacts with BYU, so it’s just a guess. Redshirt doesn’t even play into it as he is probably one or two and done if BYU is that lucky to keep him. BYU is 10 deep as it is and there will most likely be zero blowouts from here on in. I’m hoping BYU can win most of their home games, plus a few on the road and make the NCAA tournament with a decent seeding.
as near as I can tell 12-6 or 13-5 is what the statisticians are predicting…but no more blowouts…only two games do the prognasticators have at 10 points or more…mostly within 1 score with BYU slightly favored…
it could turn into a bloody mess a la Sitake’s boys…or maybe they will fulfill the promise of Pope’s first team at BYU and scare some people on their way to creating a foundation for BYU/Pope’s future as a truly competitive program…
I would take 12-6 in a heartbeat and be gratified that BYU would win 24 games in their first season in the Big 12. I believe Pope to be the one to get the most out of his team, whereas the football coaches probably let a couple of wins get away
It all starts with team leadership and heart. Pope has some great player/leaders in this team.
Sitake’s boys were lead by a Rent-A-QB or newbie.
Pope has miles of players that have “bought in” to his vision. Looking forward into next year, with a core of Hall, Saunders, Foos etc, I don’t see BYU struggling in the future either.
Both Tom L and I know this bball team very well. I don’t see BYU taking any nights off. What I do see is 4 and 5 star talent vs. BYU’s 3 star talent in the Big 12. Robinson is our only 4 star athlete playing and he kicked around for 2 years before landing at BYU. The NBA is looking hard at him as we speak but Robinson talent with about 20 extra lbs. of muscle is what BYU will face night in and out in the Big 12.
BYU’s band of brothers and 3 pt production will outplay teams at home and about 1/2 the time on the road but if BYU has a cold night, it could get ugly. 12-5 in the Big 12 tickles me pink.
I’m with you. BYU at home shoots much better than BYU on the road. 12-5 and I’m going out and celebrating. I’m just kicking back and watching Cincinnati/BYU. It will tell me how the season will probably go.