Troubling Trend in Second Half

While we beat Portland soundly, another less than stellar effort occurred in the second half similar to our losses against Portland and USF. It appears that the effort wanes when we get big leads, which leads to complacency, and allows the opponent to creep back into the game and steal some momentum. Case in point,



1st half - Cougars outrebound Pilots 23-10, Pilots shoot 10-30

2nd half - Pilots outrebound Cougs 18-8, shoot 18-30 (6-11/3 pt. land)



This is why BYU can lose large leads when a team gets hot, gets confidence, and the Y has trouble regrouping and regaining momentum. As Travis Hansen previously stated, we lack the killer instinct to put a foot to the throat and never take it off.

Sort of. Haws acknowledged when they were up by 24, they slacked off. But I would have gone into save energy mode as well with this n upcoming weeks tough, busy schedule.

His team has bigger problems than this.

If it were an isolated incident, sure, no big deal, but getting blown out by San Francisco after leading by 15 at one point is troubling.

It took SMC about 15 minutes of game-time to come back from being 17 points down, in our own house.



I agree this team doesn't seem to have much of a killer instinct, but really, that's a common theme among BYU sports in general. I imagine LDS culture has something to do with it.

tmoney35 wrote:
If it were an isolated incident, sure, no big deal, but getting blown out by San Francisco after leading by 15 at one point is troubling.

It took SMC about 15 minutes of game-time to come back from being 17 points down, in our own house.



I agree this team doesn't seem to have much of a killer instinct, but really, that's a common theme among BYU sports in general. I imagine LDS culture has something to do with it.

Maybe, and missions.........wait BD didn't..........MC wouldn't........must be other problems.

BYU's 1st Half vs 2nd Half FG% and 3Pt% Defensive comparisons in conference play:



Game # OPP: 1st half FG% 3P% 2nd half FG% 3P%

Game 1 LMU: 23.5 25.0 38.7 30.0

Game 2 USF: 61.5 69.2 40.0 18.2

Game 3 PEP: 50.0 27.3 55.6 12.5

Game 4 SC: 41.4 40.0 36.1 25.0

Game 5 SMC: 35.5 21.4 48.3 63.6

Game 6 USD: 36.0 71.4 37.5 15.4

Game 7 Zag: 51.7 22.2 63.6 44.4

Game 8 Por: 48.0 50.0 45.8 25.0

Game 9 Pep: 39.3 27.3 45.8 33.3

Game 10 SC: 44.1 58.3 31.0 16.7

Game 11 USD: 48.5 16.7 52.2 45.5

Game 12 USF: 45.2 38.5 72.0 90.0

Game 13 Por: 33.3 27.3 60.0 54.5



Opponents shot BETTER from the floor in nine of 13 games. They shot better from three in seven of 13 games.



They have shot better from both in the last three games and four of last five and seven of last nine.



Is this just tired legs?

What is Rose doing at half time? Reading scriptures?



Just another sarcastic jab at the inconsistency between the two "major" forums here on CC.

BYU did it again tonight vs USU (out scored the second half). However, their FT shooting enabled them to scrape by with a win over a scrappy but short-handed Aggie team. Shot 35% from the field, 4-21 from 3 pt land, and were outrebounded. This type of play will not cut it against SMU and Gonzaga. Don't understand why they continue to live and die by the 3 when higher percentage shots with Davies, Haws, Zylstra within 15-18' should be money.

byucougar1 wrote:
BYU did it again tonight vs USU (out scored the second half). However, their FT shooting enabled them to scrape by with a win over a scrappy but short-handed Aggie team. Shot 35% from the field, 4-21 from 3 pt land, and were outrebounded. This type of play will not cut it against SMU and Gonzaga. Don't understand why they continue to live and die by the 3 when higher percentage shots with Davies, Haws, Zylstra within 15-18' should be money.

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Woops - how about St. Mary's.

The other troubling aspect of this game is that we are weak interior-wise. Other than Bronson, we have no physical presence in the middle. Teams focus on bullying/wrestling with Davies, Haws to throw them off of their game, and we have no answer. I hope that Bronson figures more in the lineup against other team's bigs or we will get pushed around again. Shaw seemed to neutralize Davies and seemed quicker than him inside. Stone and Kafusi went at each other last night (almost like on the football field). Loved it when Kafusi fouled him hard, knocked him down, and he took Carlino to the floor with one arm. Tough kids - tough inside presence. With 8 players participating, USU gave BYU all that they could handle. Perhaps this will be a good tuneup vs St. Mary's - toughen us up.

byucougar1 wrote:
The other troubling aspect of this game is that we are weak interior-wise. Other than Bronson, we have no physical presence in the middle. Teams focus on bullying/wrestling with Davies, Haws to throw them off of their game, and we have no answer. I hope that Bronson figures more in the lineup against other team's bigs or we will get pushed around again. Shaw seemed to neutralize Davies and seemed quicker than him inside. Stone and Kafusi went at each other last night (almost like on the football field). Loved it when Kafusi fouled him hard, knocked him down, and he took Carlino to the floor with one arm. Tough kids - tough inside presence. With 8 players participating, USU gave BYU all that they could handle. Perhaps this will be a good tuneup vs St. Mary's - toughen us up.

Yes! I have been saying this since conference started. Sharp has all but disappeared. Love that kid's hustle and ups, but he is paper thin. And Austin isn't far behind. Love his hustle too.

Like it or not, our bigs are weak!

And like it or not, Fusi in Bball, like Democracy, "is the worst form of government, but the best that we have."

If Rosé hopes at all to compete with SMC or Zags, he will have to bite the bullet and make a very unpopular decision (to the other bigs) and start or give major minutes to Fusi over his own recruits. Fusi is a bit like Ziggy was in football. Very strong but rough around the edges schematically and productivity. But he is getting the job done better than the other reserves. I would really like to see Fusi and Davies out there together. It will make Davies better bc he won't have to be the enforcer in the paint as much. Maybe then he can stay out of foul trouble, assuming he doesn't keep acting like LeBron James, driving to the hoop and "taking charge", again. See, Blueis, I got it. ;-)

Hate to sound like a broken record, but for the 5th consecutive game BYU was outscored in the second half and lost when they were leading at half time.



Kafusi was good defensively and helped to control M. Young and Waldo, but he doesn't bring any offense to the team, and it hurts without other options behind Davies and Haws (especially when Carlino disappears).