Basketball at UVU

https://twitter.com/stutzmanjared/status/723259954568695809





https://twitter.com/JoshGershon/status/723252399427584000





Pope at UVU is turning the program into BYU JV.

Is UVU having a quality basketball team a good thing or bad thing for BYU?

I'm wondering what effect it will have on BYU if UVU becomes competitive in basketball? We have already had several players transfer to go there, and while to this point, it hasn't hurt and I'm not concerned we will lose a star player, how does it effect our depth? Do we get people who would rather be number 1 or 2 at UVU rather than be number 5 or 6 at BYU, or is more numbers 10-12?

UVU having a strong team is fine with me. There is no danger of the BYU basketball program being in the UVU program's shadow any time soon.

UVU having a strong team is fine with me. There is no danger of the BYU basketball program being in the UVU program's shadow any time soon.

Stronger BBall at all the Utah schools I think helps BYU and the other Utah schools. It's good to be known as a BBall town or state

Fido wrote:
UVU having a strong team is fine with me. There is no danger of the BYU basketball program being in the UVU program's shadow any time soon.

I don't know that I agree. We used to say that about USU in football, but in the last 5-6 years the situation has changed a bit and playing at USU football can get you into a New Year's Day bowl easier than it would at BYU.



As noted, there could easily be more depth-type players lost to an up-and-coming UVU.

EM_Puma wrote:

UVU having a strong team is fine with me. There is no danger of the BYU basketball program being in the UVU program's shadow any time soon.

I don't know that I agree. We used to say that about USU in football, but in the last 5-6 years the situation has changed a bit and playing at USU football can get you into a New Year's Day bowl easier than it would at BYU.



As noted, there could easily be more depth-type players lost to an up-and-coming UVU.

One new years bowl game would not put BYU in USU's shadow. BYU isn't in Utah's shadow and Utah has two, and a better conference affiliation.

I see this as a temporary thing. UVU has a good coach and BYU is stacked right now with talented starters for the next 3 or so years so good recruits are seeing an opportunity there. It would be good to have another team similar to Weber State that has success and gets to the dance with the auto bid from Utah. I don't consider it a threat to the Y.

It is not a threat until it becomes a threat. They could pull a Gonzaga and play in a crappy conference but get a lot of good non conference games and do well. Any chance that they could help draw to down some teams to play at both places to save on travel costs? Even a cross town tournament?

Competition breeds success. I welcome the idea that BYU needs to prove themselves every year, to every recruit.

ABYUFAN wrote:

Fido wrote:
UVU having a strong team is fine with me. There is no danger of the BYU basketball program being in the UVU program's shadow any time soon.

I don't know that I agree. We used to say that about USU in football, but in the last 5-6 years the situation has changed a bit and playing at USU football can get you into a New Year's Day bowl easier than it would at BYU.



As noted, there could easily be more depth-type players lost to an up-and-coming UVU.

One new years bowl game would not put BYU in USU's shadow. BYU isn't in Utah's shadow and Utah has two, and a better conference affiliation.

Correct. My point, which unfortunately wasn't well presented by my response, was that I don't agree that a strong UVU program isn't a threat to BYU, but the threat is only that they could pick up players that would usually be providing some depth to BYU. Who knows. There are always going to be problems though with depth players that don't want to be depth players, but want to start. This just creates a more viable opportunity for them. I have had five of my children go to UVU and is very much like Southern Virginia University and currently very influenced by the local LDS culture, making it very palatable for LDS young adults.



No, I can't see us ever being in UVU's shadow and we're not in USU's either. Simply as their programs become stronger, it affects the kids that would have been walk-ons or bench players at BYU. That's what I was trying to say. Currently it is not a problem as we have some very good depth.