Why will this team win a tourney game?

Depth, we have good first year players and we have guys that can step up (JT, Emery, even Haws) when Jimmer does not.

I don't mean to resurrect this just because we lost, but our big men really worry me. The way their PG scored uncontested lay-ups at the end cannot happen in D-1 basketball. You foul that guy and make him earn it. That happens all too often. And do I even need to mention the offensive boards given up again?



I'm starting to think Abouo in for Haws as a starter against the better teams. If Haws isn't shooting well, he's not doing anything for us against these caliber opponents. And we need D and boards as a first priority.



I still love our resiliency. It would've been easy to count them out multiple times during this game. For whatever reason we couldn't close it to less than 4 or 5 til the end there. Playing behind all game is emotionally tiring. Oh well, great game. We're a top 15 team and so is UNM, so no shame in this. BYU doesn't lose another game this year IMO, so we should get the seed we need (6 or higher) to win at least one game. One last thing is that the tourney doesn't have a "Pit" environment, which I think spooked some of the boys tonight, and I think we're all pretty comfortable w/neutral sites. Can't wait til UofU's beatdown by 20+.

Are you aware that most of their PG's points came from the FT line late in the game. (7/8 last 72 seconds of the game.) And that he shot 17 FTs (which is just three less than BYU as a team). Not fouling their PG was not an issue as he was being sent to the line routinely to "earn" it.



And as for Haws, please point out the recent games where he has not been shooting well or "not doing anything for us against these caliber opponents." Because against SDSU he shot 6-10 from the floor, against Wyoming he shot 8-12, against Colorado St 3-5, against Air Force he was 4-7, against UTEP it was 5-9, he was 3-9 against UNLV but he did pull down 6 boards. Last night was the first time he didn't shoot well in a month.



I do agree with your last paragraph though. I just think your first one is overly emotional and the second one a bit over-reactionary.

Alright. Now that it's all said and done, I'd like to know what people think. We haven't won a significant non-home game since January and we've lost every big game in recent memory. I think the refs were paid-off tonight, but that shouldn't be a problem in the tourney. I liked the line-up changes especially keeping Davies, Abouo (the only one who knows how to play the wing in the 2-3 zone), Jimmer, Loyd, and whoever else. That lineup gets stops and boards, which is what we have lacked in 1st rounds past. My guess is a 6 seed and a 2nd tier ACC or Big East team first round that will be physical but not as tough defensively as UNLV. As far as why we will win, well, I'm still not convinced that we can do it with this team. And that sucks since this is the best team we've fielded in years, but I just don't see killer instinct (except from JF) and big game drive--there were glimpses tonight, but we still lost. Oh well, here's to hoping.

Mars wrote:


Abouo made some terribly stupid mistakes this game. Haws has a much higher basketball IQ.

AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I mean I loved his athleticism and he had some brilliant moments, but yeah, Haws IQ is muuuuuch better. Loyd had some serious mental errors too. That lay up at the end? Then again, no one else was man enough to step up at take the open looks they were all passing up.

Mars wrote:

Loyd had some serious mental errors too.

The pass to no one in the back-court.

Let's not forget Fredette throwing up a 50 footer. That's as good as a turnover. Everyone had their bad moments tonight.

declocoug wrote:

FurriousCougar wrote:
Loyd had some serious mental errors too.

The pass to no one in the back-court.

Let's not forget Fredette throwing up a 50 footer. That's as good as a turnover. Everyone had their bad moments tonight.

Oh trust me, I agree that Fredette made some serious mental errors as well, but that's the point. I have seen Haws make very few mental errors this season. Really, if you think about it, there have been very few. Same with Emery.

FurriousCougar wrote:

Mars wrote:

Loyd had some serious mental errors too.

The pass to no one in the back-court.

Let's not forget Fredette throwing up a 50 footer. That's as good as a turnover. Everyone had their bad moments tonight.

Oh trust me, I agree that Fredette made some serious mental errors as well, but that's the point. I have seen Haws make very few mental errors this season. Really, if you think about it, there have been very few. Same with Emery.

I'll agree to agree.

Two things I think will help us in the dance. One: unless we play someone we have played in a non conference game, no one we meet will know how to deal with Jimmer. He's more elusive than he looks. Two: He will have almost a week to rest. He was very tired tonight, and UNLV made sure of it by pressuring him hard and pounding on him hard (that is very fatiguing, especially if you have been sick). He'll be fresh and ready to play, and good and mad. He is not one who likes to lose. I still think we win some in the tourney.

our big guys didn't do a very good job at establishing trust with the guards. Davies and especially Hartsock blew too many easy shots. They put way too much pressure on the guards to win this.

...because our seed will not be an 8?...9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16?

...because no one loses to Texas A&M three times in a row?

I don't care why. I just want them to win.

...because we won't be playing on someone's home court?