BB outlook post Broadus
 

This team was really starting to come together.

The SDSU game was another step in the right direction after the Cougs looked great at times during Oral Roberts and Seton Hall games.

Plaisted still hasn't completely found his game, but he and Keena are developing into a strong, consistent inside game.

Lee is providing perimeter scoring and big time D and rebounding from the wing.

Balderson is a big problem, but Cummard's emergence and solid point play with Rose off bench has made up for it.

Rose's presence opens things up a little.

Ainge/Broadus have been producing well, so well that Rose has gone back to putting them both in at the same time again at times. This team is best with Broadus manning the point and playing confidently on O but in control.

Now we're going to have to adjust to post-Broadus 2007. This won't be easy.

Ainge has been getting majority of minutes, so he's prepared and in a position to do it, but he's going to have to step up big time.

I expect a slight drop-off especially for a few weeks until the team readjusts, but it won't be impossible.

I'm not impressed with the MWC as much after seeing the first week's results.

I expect us to finish 2nd/3rd and be improving heading into conf tournament to have a real shot to win it and grab the NCAA tourney berth.

This gives Ben Murdock the opportunity he was waiting for.

He loves to push the ball up court. If he gets his shot you'll see BYU run a lot more.

Hopefully Murdock will be adequate in the 3-5 minutes he gets per game from now on.

The team started looking a lot better when Rose tightened down the rotation to

Broadus, Ainge, Balderson, Rose, Cummard, Keena, Trent, Malaman

Anything beyond that the talent level deceases fast.

Agreed on the rotation. Once he seemed to settle on that, the confidence and chemistry of the team improved quite a bit. The one player who really needs to start playing better is Jimmy Balderson. He's having an awful Senior campaign and without a true #3 scorer behind Young and Plaisted I don't think BYU makes the NCAA Tourney. Baldy has gotta get back on track instead of pulling a Mark Bigelow.

If Baldy pulled a Mark Bigelow, this team might be one of the best in 20 years.

I am convinced that Balderson is nothing more than a spot up shooter role player who has the ability to slash if the opponent overplays the outside shot. Trying to use him as an athletic wing player demonstrates the challenges BYU faces in basketball -- especially if the system requires athletic wings.

I like Balderson, but the more Lee Cummard becomes the go to guy on the perimeter, the more Balderson can only be a spot shooter the better for the BYU. Jimmy looked so out of place against SDSU.

I optimistically think things are improving, but I wonder if it is too little too late.

However, building upon Lee Cummard and a focused Plaisted, by focussed I mean playing a position he spends the summer working on - the 4, BYU might have some hope for next year. With Rashaun looking more and more out of the picture, hopefully Murdock can be a solid point guard and the experience will be a springboard for him to next year.

Jimmy simply isn't hitting his shots. If he is, BYU is that much better because that's supposed to be his specialty.

I don't think Broadus' suspension hurts us as much as many think. The only thing he did well was play defense, and that will be missed. But the guy was an inconsistent shooter, a bad passer, didn't penetrate, and couldn't finish around the the basket. I have a hard time believing that Murdock could be much worse.

Add to that he was not that good of a FT shooter. I don't follow b-ball as much, but watching Broadus was always frustrating for me, for all the reasons you note. With the game on the line, or even not on the line, this was not the guy I wanted shooting the ball. IMO, his game against SDSU was more an abberation than "finally getting into his groove." Like you, I think BYU is better with him, but don't think the long-term impact will be all that significant.

On a personal level, as much as I deplore DUI, I hope he gets things back in order and can finish his education at BYU. I hate how these HC violations screw a kid's academic progression. Is there any way they can just drag out the investigation until after he graduates?

You mean like when McMahon was at BYU? Wait, you're talking about reported HC investigations, aren't you? ;)