BYU: Spring Training


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 7-8 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

With Tuesday night's 76-70 loss to Baylor, BYU's NIT run is done, but in reaching the tournament semifinals at Madison Square Garden, the Cougars not only altered perception in the present, but inspired hope for the future.

*******

For Dave Rose's team, the phrase "Final Four" represented more than a trip to New York City. The Cougars final four games of the season offered a glimpse of the 2012-13 squad's true potential, and allowed some of 2013-14's most important players to shine on a big stage.

The four games played in the NIT featured BYU's top trio playing well together, over a prolonged stretch of games, for one of the few occasions all season.

While Brandon Davies and Matt Carlino struggled together to 11-for-31 shooting at MSG, their overall NIT numbers, along with those of scoring leader Tyler Haws, were collectively impressive, and served as a reminder of the imperative that BYU's "Big Three" thrive as one for the Cougars to be at their best.

Tyler Haws, Brandon Davies and Matt Carlino, 2013 NIT

PlayerPPGFG%3PFG%FT%RPGAPGTO/gm
Tyler Haws27.855.133.395.54.32.32.3
Brandon Davies18.344.6100.073.39.31.81.5
Matt Carlino18.037.941.983.36.38.03.3

Brock Zylstra proved to be a postseason X-factor of sorts; he finished with an NIT scoring average of 10.8 points per game, but went 0-for-6 from the three-point line in the first and last games of the tourney, while shooting 9-for-16 from the arc in the middle two games. 37 of his 43 points were scored against Mercer and Southern Miss, with the other six points spread out between Washington and Baylor.

Against the Bears, Zylstra's shooting performance (1-for-5 from the floor) was magnified in importance, but his defensive work on Baylor sharpshooter Brady Heslip (0-for-5, 0-for-4 3PFG) helped mitigate any damage done by Zylstra's offensive struggles.

The Tuesday semifinal underscored yet again how essential it is that the best players be "on" at the same time for BYU to beat its best opponents, and against Baylor, only Haws' performance proved to be good enough, as Davies' and Carlino's shooting numbers helped hamper the Cougars.

That said, without Carlino's three-point prowess in the game's closing moments, BYU would never have remained in the game in the waning seconds. Carlino's three consecutive bombs in the final two minutes highlighted his range and shooter's mentality--it was an impressive thing to watch.

********

Carlino comprises part of a juniors-to-be triumvirate, with each player taking turns in the New York City spotlight last night. The others are Haws and Nate Austin, who perhaps more than any other player really improved his coming season's stock in the NIT.

Despite going scoreless in the second half against Baylor, Austin ended the night with nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. His points were scored three ways: on free throws, elbow jumpers, and for only the second this season, on a jump hook after a post move to the middle.

Austin has always had good range for a big man (6'11", 230 lbs.), so his jump shots, while less frequent of late, were not altogether surprising. Those are shots he can hit, and his made jumpers last night were pure. The jump hook, on the other hand, is an element that Austin has been slow to develop, but if he can add that and other post moves to his arsenal, his ability to help BYU as a versatile forward/post player will increase dramatically.

Offseason shoulder surgery after the 2011-12 campaign set Austin back considerably in 2012-13, and it wasn't until the end of the season, concurrent with Josh Sharp's injury, that Austin took hold of the 4 spot and gave BYU coaches reason to believe he can hold that position as a starter in 2013-14.

Led by Haws, Carlino and Austin, BYU can enter the coming season comfortable with a core of starters--all of whom displayed during the NIT just how valuable they can be.

Haws had simply the best sophomore season of any player in BYU history, scoring 780 points; only four other Cougars have ever recorded a higher single-season tally, and all four (Jimmer Fredette, Devin Durrant, Michael Smith and Danny Ainge) recorded those totals as seniors.

Haws enters his junior season tied with Joe Richey for 28th place on BYU's alltime scoring list, with 1,177 points. With another effort comparable to 2012-13's in his coming season, Haws could become only the fifth BYU player to top the 2,000-point plateau, with still a season to play. Given current averages, he is on pace to pass Fredette as BYU's career scoring leader.

Carlino, meantime, is pacing to become BYU's alltime assist leader, after a 171-assist campaign that stands as BYU's third-best single-season mark, behind only the Matt Montague (217 in 2001-02) and Nathan Call (204, in 1991-92).

The mercurial point guard is key to BYU taking a step forward next season; consistency remains his only stumbling block. It is good to remember that Carlino has only played essentially a season and a half in a BYU uniform--his best days are yet to come.

*******

Joining the BYU roster in 2013-14 are four confirmed additions, all of whom are expected to have significant roles on next year's team.

Kyle Collinsworth returns this spring from an LDS mission to Russia, and while not a pure shooter, his length and athleticism will be utilized somewhere on BYU's guard/wing line--potentially as a starter.

Eric Mika enters from the high school ranks, but his polished post presence will give him the opportunity to make an immediate impact down low. His tenacity and physicality will be major assets.

Skyler Halford joins BYU as a combo guard who should give BYU not only some point depth but long-distance marksmanship that was lacking in 2012-13--Dave Rose's worst three-point shooting season in his eight-year tenure.

Luke Worthington will be a banger at power forward--a useful, smart player who like Mika will give BYU valued toughness inside.

BYU has at least one remaining scholarship with which to work, but almost every offseason seems to include some unanticipated personnel openings or opportunities, and after a season of considerable struggles, some roster fluctuation can be reasonably anticipated.

This much is certain: with starters having scored 318 of BYU's 329 NIT points, and three of those starters back next season, the Cougars' current bench players--five of whom have eligibility remaining--are under the gun to show that they can earn or retain a role next season.

The Cougars' incoming group includes the players most likely to grab the two openings in BYU's starting five. As such, the holdovers who were unable to earn minutes in the 2012-13 postseason will have to make considerable improvements to earn minutes away from the players being brought in.

Rose figured he had solved many of the previous season's depth issues during the last offseason, but a combination of injury (Stephen Rogers, Chris Collinsworth) and newcomer adjustment difficulty (Agustin Ambosino, Raul Delgado, Cory Calvert) combined to narrow BYU's error margin. Even so, BYU still managed to get good enough efforts, from enough guys, on enough nights, to win 24 games, and win three postseason contests for the first time since the Cougars made the NCAA Elite Eight in 1981.

*******

A few notes about where the 2012-13 season stands among Rose-era standards:

High in rebounds per game (38.9)

Low in 3PFG% (33.8)

2nd-lowest in FG% (45.7)

Low in blocks per game (2.5)

2nd-lowest in Ken Pomeroy ratings (58; low was 91st in 2005-06)

Low in pre-tournament RPI (69; previous low was 65 in 2005-06)

Low in Effective FG% (50.2)

2nd-lowest 2PFG% (50.2)

Low in 3PFGA/FGA (28.6%)

3rd-best Offensive Rebounding % (32.8; best since 2006-07)

3rd-best FT% (72.8)

--

Notably, BYU's three-point proficiency has decreased in four consecutive seasons: from 41.7% in 2009-10, to 36.1% in 2010-11, to 34.3% in 2001-12, to 33,8% in 2012-13.

*******

It was a season of phases; a bit of a stagger at the start was followed by the Cougars finding their feet. At 14-4, things were promising. Over a 7-7 stretch in the ensuing 14 games, the situation became puzzling and ponderous. A three-game run to New York City was then inspiring, and although the season ends one win short of reprising BYU's two NIT titles, the campaign closes with a sense of satisfaction.

As Dave Rose says, when faced with disappointment, a team can go one of two ways, and the Cougars, he says, took the high road. They followed it all the way to the heart of Manhattan.

*******

Photo: Courtesy Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

*******

Most recent Sports stories

Related topics

SportsBYU Cougars
Greg Wrubell

    ARE YOU GAME?

    From first downs to buzzer beaters, get KSL.com’s top sports stories delivered to your inbox weekly.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast