[washingtonismoney]

Just glancing from the box score, the margin could be more embarrassing quite easily. Giving up 43 free throws? Incredible -- awful defense. BYU only shot 65% from the line; an average day would've made this a rout.

Still, I'm shocked that installing a legendarily complex offense* like the triangle would result in stagnation and hesitancy.

*(the most annoying thing, too? the triangle, while complex, is a bit outdated now -- I'd be surprised if any NBA coach aside from Phil Jackson would consider installing it. The principles -- motion, balance, versatility -- are simultaneously timeless and trendy. The specific package is not. And so naturally, instead of being somewhere near the cutting edge, Dawkins choses something considerably blunter. I mean, if you have to overhaul, why not the best?)

[washingtonismoney]

Just glancing from the box score, the margin could be more embarrassing quite easily. Giving up 43 free throws? Incredible -- awful defense. BYU only shot 65% from the line; an average day would've made this a rout.

Still, I'm shocked that installing a legendarily complex offense* like the triangle would result in stagnation and hesitancy.

*(the most annoying thing, too? the triangle, while complex, is a bit outdated now -- I'd be surprised if any NBA coach aside from Phil Jackson would consider installing it. The principles -- motion, balance, versatility -- are simultaneously timeless and trendy. The specific package is not. And so naturally, instead of being somewhere near the cutting edge, Dawkins choses something considerably blunter. I mean, if you have to overhaul, why not the best?)

[burger]

Some of BYU's 43 free throws came at the end of the game when we were intentionally fouling.  But most of them happened because the NCAA, in their neverending idiocy, has decided that hand checks are fouls this year.  And they changed the rules on blocking fouls--I think that breathing on a driving player counts as blocking now.  We should expect many, many fouls this season.  It's going to make college basketball almost as painful to watch as the NBA.

As for us, the offense looked as stagnant as ever.  Chasson had some nice drives, as did Powell, but when BYU went into a zone defense, we would usually pass the ball around for 25 seconds and then launch a contested perimeter shot.  On the optimistic side, if we'd hit a 2 or 3 more of the wide-open 3's that we missed, it might have been a tight game at the end. 

[burger]

Some of BYU's 43 free throws came at the end of the game when we were intentionally fouling.  But most of them happened because the NCAA, in their neverending idiocy, has decided that hand checks are fouls this year.  And they changed the rules on blocking fouls--I think that breathing on a driving player counts as blocking now.  We should expect many, many fouls this season.  It's going to make college basketball almost as painful to watch as the NBA.

As for us, the offense looked as stagnant as ever.  Chasson had some nice drives, as did Powell, but when BYU went into a zone defense, we would usually pass the ball around for 25 seconds and then launch a contested perimeter shot.  On the optimistic side, if we'd hit a 2 or 3 more of the wide-open 3's that we missed, it might have been a tight game at the end. 

[Renaissance Man]

By the time I finished my morning drive today, I had a more positive spin on last night's game.  First, the defense was atrocious in every way--it absolutely has to improve.  That being said, BYU's defense was not as bad as surrendering 103 points would imply--many of those points were hard-earned.  Additionally, Bright and Huestis had terrible nights.  If Bright replicates last season, we may not be able to count on much from him for the first part of the year, but I think we can expect more from Josh.  Powell looked great and Randle looked very good.  Anthony Brown played some of his best minutes and Gage looked good. It looks like we will be tough to defend this season, but I don't know if we can count on JD to bring the defense up to the level we need.

[Renaissance Man]

By the time I finished my morning drive today, I had a more positive spin on last night's game.  First, the defense was atrocious in every way--it absolutely has to improve.  That being said, BYU's defense was not as bad as surrendering 103 points would imply--many of those points were hard-earned.  Additionally, Bright and Huestis had terrible nights.  If Bright replicates last season, we may not be able to count on much from him for the first part of the year, but I think we can expect more from Josh.  Powell looked great and Randle looked very good.  Anthony Brown played some of his best minutes and Gage looked good. It looks like we will be tough to defend this season, but I don't know if we can count on JD to bring the defense up to the level we need.

[Cardinal96]

I have basically stopped watching basketball.  I don't mind watching a bad team as long as I can see that they are well coached and they continue to make improvements.  With our current coaching staff, I don't see that and haven't been seeing that for years.  I wasn't even aware we were playing BYU but am glad I missed it.

[Cardinal96]

I have basically stopped watching basketball.  I don't mind watching a bad team as long as I can see that they are well coached and they continue to make improvements.  With our current coaching staff, I don't see that and haven't been seeing that for years.  I wasn't even aware we were playing BYU but am glad I missed it.

[washingtonismoney]

... the NCAA, in their neverending idiocy, has decided that hand checks are fouls this year. ...

Actually a good policy! NCAA basketball -- like the NBA around the turn of the century -- has been plagued by overly physical, hacking play on the perimeter. So cracking down on handchecks will lead to better offensive basketball with more flow -- and more fundamental defense, oriented on moving your feet rather than your hands. In the short term this will lead to lots of fouls while players and coaches adjust, but hopefully the NCAA will follow through so that we see some lasting change.

[washingtonismoney]

... the NCAA, in their neverending idiocy, has decided that hand checks are fouls this year. ...

Actually a good policy! NCAA basketball -- like the NBA around the turn of the century -- has been plagued by overly physical, hacking play on the perimeter. So cracking down on handchecks will lead to better offensive basketball with more flow -- and more fundamental defense, oriented on moving your feet rather than your hands. In the short term this will lead to lots of fouls while players and coaches adjust, but hopefully the NCAA will follow through so that we see some lasting change.

[AlbanyCardinal]

I have basically stopped watching basketball.  I don't mind watching a bad team as long as I can see that they are well coached and they continue to make improvements.  With our current coaching staff, I don't see that and haven't been seeing that for years.  I wasn't even aware we were playing BYU but am glad I missed it.

I used to be a season-ticket holder. And I wouldn't call myself a fair-weather fan. I sat through every home football game between 2002 and 2006, for instance. But in that case bad coaching was given a pretty short leash, so every few years I'd have hope that the next coach would resurrect the program. But Dawkins has been here five years! I've taken a sabbatical on basketball until I see signs of good coaching.

[AlbanyCardinal]

I have basically stopped watching basketball.  I don't mind watching a bad team as long as I can see that they are well coached and they continue to make improvements.  With our current coaching staff, I don't see that and haven't been seeing that for years.  I wasn't even aware we were playing BYU but am glad I missed it.

I used to be a season-ticket holder. And I wouldn't call myself a fair-weather fan. I sat through every home football game between 2002 and 2006, for instance. But in that case bad coaching was given a pretty short leash, so every few years I'd have hope that the next coach would resurrect the program. But Dawkins has been here five years! I've taken a sabbatical on basketball until I see signs of good coaching.

[Treebound]

I was at the game with my son.  I think there were more BYU fans there than Stanford fans.  I was at the Bucknell game as well.  The good news is that Bernard is watching this all quite closely.  The bad news is this team has the talent, but not the heart.  Hate to say it, but we were out hustled last night.  Powell looked good, but we didn't feed him.  Randall had some nice plays as well.  Most looked like they were going through the motions and defense was pathetic.  How many times do we let them drive straight to the hoop and beat us to the boards.  Gage needs to show some defensive mettle - he's soft.  They wanted it more.  BYU is good and when we are sitting on the bubble with them, I fear this game is looked at with a big question mark.  It's sad to see how this program has declined.  You need look no further than to the empty seats to see how far south things have gone.

[Treebound]

I was at the game with my son.  I think there were more BYU fans there than Stanford fans.  I was at the Bucknell game as well.  The good news is that Bernard is watching this all quite closely.  The bad news is this team has the talent, but not the heart.  Hate to say it, but we were out hustled last night.  Powell looked good, but we didn't feed him.  Randall had some nice plays as well.  Most looked like they were going through the motions and defense was pathetic.  How many times do we let them drive straight to the hoop and beat us to the boards.  Gage needs to show some defensive mettle - he's soft.  They wanted it more.  BYU is good and when we are sitting on the bubble with them, I fear this game is looked at with a big question mark.  It's sad to see how this program has declined.  You need look no further than to the empty seats to see how far south things have gone.

[Mick]

I have basically stopped watching basketball. 

+1

[Mick]

I have basically stopped watching basketball. 

+1

[81alum]

I don't mind watching a bad team as long as I can see that they are well coached and they continue to make improvements. 

Then it should be easy to make a WBB fan out of you if you aren't one already :)  In fact, we only looked bad against UConn, and might not look bad again for a long while!

[81alum]

I don't mind watching a bad team as long as I can see that they are well coached and they continue to make improvements. 

Then it should be easy to make a WBB fan out of you if you aren't one already :)  In fact, we only looked bad against UConn, and might not look bad again for a long while!