We need to quit with this "well considering..." talk

[Italics]

3 things were key in the loss. Turnovers, free-throw shooting, and the fact that UCLA shot lights out. I think this was the first game this year where I felt like the other team out-played the Cougars on defense.

Why does everyone else keep saying UCLA shot lights out? They shot a worse percentage than we did, and our shooting wasn't even that good. On top of that - I believe our FT % even ended up being better than theirs.

They won b/c they have ACTUAL NCAA caliber bigs. We don't.

As Bib pointed out... teams will continue to double and triple team Jimmer. Who is Jimmer gonna dish to?
Emery? He doesn't even deserve the title "shooter." He's cold as ice 90% of the games BYU plays. He also either can't or simply refuses to drive.
C. Collinsworth? He has no shot. His driving skills have - up to this point - failed to show improvement.
K. Collinsworth? He also has no shot.
Hartsock. This is probably his best option, but even Noah rarely goes up strong.
Anerson? So he can juggle the ball? Get it stolen? Bounce out of bounds? So he can miss? So he can get fouled and miss FT's? Anderson should not be playing in this league. He doesn't belong.

It's pretty simple and it comes down to the things I mentioned. Namely:
- Lack of an inside presence (this one takes the cake)
- Bad FT shooting
- Bad shooting in general

And please, spare me the "negative" accusations. Check my post history - all I have said TIME AND TIME again is that we are a good team, but that we will NEVER be elite until we develop an inside game. We have a decent shot at getting by round 1 in the NCAA's, after that I think we have about as much of a shot of advancing this year as we did last.

It's a shame for Jimmer Fredette - he deserves better.

[Wolverine]

A lot of people would consider Kansas State to be an "elite" college basketball team this year...you know the kind that made a deep run in the NCAA tournament last year, a big time "inside presence", a lights-out pre-season all-american shooting guard in Jacob Pullen, etc. etc. etc.....yet somehow they got manhandled by Florida on Saturday....yes those same Florida Gators that laid an egg today at home against Jacksonville...some of you need to step back from the ledge...this is college basketball and this BYU team this year has competed hard every time it has stepped on the floor and has yet to "lay an egg"...I will take every player you mentioned above by name Italics, even with all of their "Italics Proclaimed Deficiencies" and will thoroughly enjoy the way they represent my Alma Mater. Love this team and the way they play the game, and I personally will enjoy all the highs and lows (and there will be many more "highs" than "lows") that come our way this season. Go Cougars!

[AZman]

Although I agree with some of what Italics says, fact of the matter is we have the team that we have so we have to make due with what we got. Concerns that I have about the program focus on the future:
1. Will we ever have a dominating big man? Araujo was a beast in college but fizzled out in the much more competitive NBA, Plaistaid did his thing in college but again never did well in the NBA. Bradley made his millions being lanky and blocking shots while Michael Smith and Fred Roberts played so long ago the students in the student section do not know a thing about them (except me). Cosic could have been huge in the NBA...Chris Miles, well, he is doing what he did here in the Czech Republic which is a whole lot of nothing (see http://www.eurobasket.com/player.asp?Cn ... e=1#Player" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Stats). Until we get a big man who isn't afraid to take the ball strong to the hole, I don't ever see BYU's program progressing. As a side note, I watched a high school game on ESPN where Jabari Parker was playing. WE NEED HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. What will we do when Jimmer leaves? Never before has BYU had a player of his caliber, except maybe Danny Ainge. The PG position is vital to the success of any team, even more so than having a solid big man. Who will our next PG be? DeMarcus Harrison will hopefully fill Jackson Emery's shoes, but will Martineau really be our only PG? We need to visit some JUCOs.
3. Will Abouo ever get more PT? He is our best defender, one of our more athletic rebounders, has 3 point range but can also have highlight dunks....and Coach Rose doesn't play him much. He needs to play more starting now in order for our team to continue successfully.
Those are the 3 issues I believe BYU needs to address sooner than later.

[Italics]

3. Will Abouo ever get more PT? He is our best defender, one of our more athletic rebounders, has 3 point range but can also have highlight dunks....and Coach Rose doesn't play him much. He needs to play more starting now in order for our team to continue successfully.

This is another issue. His height may hurt him, but at this point, we need Abouo as a starter. He's more clutch with his shots than C. Collinsworth, is stronger than him, and defends/rebounds better than him. Not sure what the deal is with Rose hardly playing him.

[Gunk]

Although I agree with some of what Italics says, fact of the matter is we have the team that we have so we have to make due with what we got. Concerns that I have about the program focus on the future:
1. Will we ever have a dominating big man? Araujo was a beast in college but fizzled out in the much more competitive NBA, Plaistaid did his thing in college but again never did well in the NBA. Bradley made his millions being lanky and blocking shots while Michael Smith and Fred Roberts played so long ago the students in the student section do not know a thing about them (except me). Cosic could have been huge in the NBA...Chris Miles, well, he is doing what he did here in the Czech Republic which is a whole lot of nothing (see http://www.eurobasket.com/player.asp?Cn ... e=1#Player" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Stats). Until we get a big man who isn't afraid to take the ball strong to the hole, I don't ever see BYU's program progressing. As a side note, I watched a high school game on ESPN where Jabari Parker was playing. WE NEED HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. What will we do when Jimmer leaves? Never before has BYU had a player of his caliber, except maybe Danny Ainge. The PG position is vital to the success of any team, even more so than having a solid big man. Who will our next PG be? DeMarcus Harrison will hopefully fill Jackson Emery's shoes, but will Martineau really be our only PG? We need to visit some JUCOs.
3. Will Abouo ever get more PT? He is our best defender, one of our more athletic rebounders, has 3 point range but can also have highlight dunks....and Coach Rose doesn't play him much. He needs to play more starting now in order for our team to continue successfully.
Those are the 3 issues I believe BYU needs to address sooner than later.

Abouo should be starting ahead of KC.

Abouo plays better defense, has a better shot, grabs more boards and shoots better from the line. Rose, for some reason, has a fascination with KC and I'm sure it's apparent to Abouo, which doesn't help the situation any. Should Rose change his tune and show some faith in his Junior - who is a much better athlete - I think we'd see a more dominant Abouo.

Right now, though, Abouo plays conservative and under the fear that the moment he makes a mistake or misses a shot he'll be yanked from the game. Never mind Jimmer is coughing up the ball...

[SpiffCoug]

I think Abouo might need more playing time. He's not tentative to shoot the ball and KC is right now. KC passes up open shots all the time and to a certain extent it's hurting the offense because teams don't have to respect his outside shot so they can sag off him when he's on the perimeter. Abouo isn't afraid to shoot from the outside, and he'll drive by you as well as KC can.

[IowaCougar]

What I'd like to figure out with Abouo is his ability to take it to the hoop and miss. I think he shoots a better percentage from 3 than from lay-up range. Defensively, he's a stud, but for some reason he hasn't shown the ability to finish inside.

[Gunk]

What I'd like to figure out with Abouo is his ability to take it to the hoop and miss. I think he shoots a better percentage from 3 than from lay-up range. Defensively, he's a stud, but for some reason he hasn't shown the ability to finish inside.

I think he hopes to get fouled and in the process of busting his way to line loses track of finishing.

[Italics]

I can hear it now...

"despite the fact that we shot so poorly tonight and struggled against the zone, I'll take the away victory..."

This team has some major issues to work on, folks.

[Gunk]

Post by Greg Wrubell says it all:
Last year, BYU had 6 players with 10+ mpg and 25+ 3pfga; all shot 37%-44% 3p. This year, 3 plyrs avg 10+ mpg w /10+ 3pfga; all 35% or worse 3p.