Comments about ‘BYU basketball: Y. wants to increase strength of schedule’

Maybe before Rose starts crying about teams not wanting to play him in Provo, he should man up and agree to play Utah State in Logan on an even basis. It will have been 4 years in between games in Logan before he finally goes back next year!

Considering that both BYU and USU seem to struggle to get good teams to agree to play them at home, here's a novel idea for both schools: why don't USU and BYU just play each other home-and-home during the season each year (they used to do this back before around the mid-90s already)? This would give them each one very good opponent at home each year, and they could each eliminate a Western Oregon or Montana-State-Northern type of opponent. Fans would all love it, tickets would sell out, everyone would be happy? Why is this so hard to figure out?

The smart teams will play BYU at a neutral site -- such as at the Jazz arena.

Arizona State and Wake Forest are two outstanding teams. Utah State was terrific too!

A home and home with USU would increase the SOS. Pac 10 teams will probably be the most likely to play BYU in Provo, otherwise.

The Smith Fieldhouse was a tough venue for teams prior to the Marriott Center. BYU has been a tough game in Provo for all but four or five years out of the last forty.

The reasons why the Y should quit playing USU in any sport:
1- You have to drive to Logan for away games, and Logan is a horrible place to be, especially in the winter
2- Last time Rose took his team to Logan a fan spit on his wife while she was sitting in the crowd.
3- Playing USU might help the SOS, but only marginally. That win would never show up as a selling point on a tournament resume.
4- And in football, that game drags your SOS to the floor, it is a waste. You'd be better off losing to a Big 12 team by 20 (Just ask TCU).

Gonzaga has nearly the same daunting home court record of late but seem to play real competition. Maybe it is because each year in March they go more than one round in the NCAA?

great coach that has brought excitement back into BYU Basketball (for me). Like it or not Utah State, BYU is not obligated to play you every year in football, basketball, or any other sport. Both have great teams. Both have great home traditions.

In this day of polls, tournaments, recruiting, coaching security and $$$$ it is easy to see why this (scheduling) is a difficult challenge and dilema for any coach or AD. I wish it were not this way but it is a reality.

Teams and coaches trying to make a name for themselves are willing to take a risk and play anywhere at anytime with very little to lose. If they win on the away court it is a winfall for their program. If they lose: chalk one up for experience, good preparation for conference play or "I am a tough coach and will play anywhere" - very little down side.

For those that are perinnial tourney invites there is little upside and everything to lose playing tough home teams away. I applaud WF for coming (it was way fun) but we won't see them back for long while. Where would they have been ranked if they lost?

Both Utah and BYU should play Weber State and Utah State home and away each season. The crowds would start to be great and in state battles like these do lots to toughen programs.

OF LOGAN!!!!!!!!

The Cougs need to increase their SOS in all sports haha they dont win when it counts they lose to all ranked teams in basketball and football!!! True the Cougs have a better record in basketball but the Utes win when it counts!!! They beat Gonzaga who have you beat Cougs?

Rose does seem afraid to play more than one good team.
As for USU, Gary Andersen will have the Aggies beating byu in no time. Bronco & Tom will do anything they can to get out of playing USU in football, the way Rose & Tom are too afraid to go to Logan to play them in basketball.

The USU game was played at Energy Solutions because the Aggies wouldn't play at the Marriott Center, and that's the real story.

Rose says it very clear. He calls teams. He emails teams. The best teams. And says, "I'll play you at your place if you'll play the next game at my place." He's not shying away from any team, but won't just play all the best teams on the road. What's fair is fair. You get a game there and I get a game here, that's what he's saying, to every single team in the country. It's very clear. Almost every single one tells him "no thanks, too tough to win at the Marriott Center." Read Wake Forest's coach said if you need proof.

Come back when you know what you are talking about.

BYU owed USU a home BBall game and wanted out. They refused to play USU in football until the Aggies gave in and agreed to move the BBall game to a neutral site.

From someone who does know what happened.

USU had every chance to beat BYU on a neutral court at Energy Solutions but didn't, the better team one! Keep crying, you lost get over it, the game wasn't played in Logan or in Provo, if it had been in Provo the Y could have one by 20 but we will never know. There was a game played and we got scoreboard!!!

The problem of getting good teams to come to your house is not just a BYU or USU problem, it's a problem that all successful mid-majors face. (Sorry, BYU, you're still a mid-major in spite of what your fans think.) If you have a good record at home, nobody wants to come play you unless it is smaller schools who will get a bigger paycheck than usual.

Sounds weak to me. Rose can whine all day about no one reading his emails. Why doesn't he pick up the freaking phone?

How about offer to play two games away and one at home over three seasons? Or, why doesn't he offer a home-and-home during the season and offer to write another email to the NCAA Committee requesting a first round draw with that same team? That's about as close to a guarantee as you can get!

Quit your whining...feels like Roger Reid and his boys are back in town...or worse...AINGE!!!

BYU doesn't schedule tough games because they don't want to lose. However, they always lose in the Tournament. It would toughen up the team to play better teams. It is really embarassing for the State of Utah that BYU hasn't won a Tourny game since 1991. That statistic really hurts all of Utah's basketball programs. Buckle up BYU and play some tough teams. Your SOS is around 140 in the nation right team.

The Aggies wouldn't play at the Marriot Center because BYU wouldn't agree to a home & home series. If BYU won't play in Logan, why should USU play in Provo?

What hypocrites! They want home and home with some of the big schools yet they won't go home and home with the Aggies. Maybe it's because they are afraid to lose in Logan!

Idaho State for one.
At the end of this month, add Utah to the list.

You are totally wrong about Gonzaga, they play a lot of tough teams but this is mainly because they get a lot of invites to tournaments, they earned that by winning some games in the big tourney but teams don't go play them at Gonzaga. In fact they do what BYU does each year and play a team in Seattle (this year UCONN) Here's there home OOC schedule...
Wayne State, Montana State-Billings, Idaho, Texas Southern, Portland State, they do play Memphis but even that is at the Spokane Arena and not on their homecourt