Deseret News | BYU losing in 1st round now a habit

Reader comments
Dick Harmon: BYU losing in 1st round now a habit

Get Tough | 6:53 a.m. March 21, 2009

The first time a player comes into the key for a shot BYU needs to knock him on his backside and make a "statement".

Frozen Chosen | 8:37 a.m. March 21, 2009

Let's face it, BYU is the worst tournament team in the history of the NCAA. Many things will change in the world; the President of our country, the state of the economy, the hottest Hollywood actress of the moment. But one thing remains constant; no matter what their seed, no matter where they play, no matter who they play BYU will lay an egg in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament.

MWC | 9:45 a.m. March 21, 2009

Tourney Results
NCAA
BYU - 1st rd loss. Blown OUT!
UTAH - 1st rd loss. Out played!

NIT
New Mexico - 2nd rd loss
UNLV - 1st rd loss. Beat soundly!
SDSU - Still in 3rd rd...

CBI
Wyoming - 1st rd loss. Beat by northeasten at home.

= MWC is not that good.

Comments continue below

Seeds play a factor | 9:48 a.m. March 21, 2009

BYU gets poor seeds because they have no history or credibility in the tournament.

BYU needs to get to a 6 seed or better in order to advance. The 8-9 game is a tough draw and a definite round 2 exit, not that we'd know.

Utah gets overrated this year because of its recent, strong post season performances.

Athletes vs Horse | 10:09 a.m. March 21, 2009

It isn't rocket science that any time BYU plays against any athletic team in any sport, BYU will lose...except in a game of Horse where BYU will kick buttock. But in case you haven't heard, only in the NBA where you will find a legit game of Horse. BYU could have sent any member of their team to the NBA allstar weekend and been the winner. However, you ask a BYU to move and stick to a player, game over. This may sound racial, but the simple fact is that white boys have lead in their shoes. A BYU team will work hard, but will always come up short in a playoff of any kind. Live w/it...nothing wrong w/it. My only beef is that every time a BYU team gets invited to play in a tournament...they feel slighted that their seed, their apponant, their competition is not worthy. Just be glad BYU that you were invited...it is a compliment to be invited...as all tournament teams need a practice game before the real teams start playing.

Anonymous | 10:40 a.m. March 21, 2009

As dismal as BYU's recent tourney history is - they are not like Utah in that Utah has been upset more often than they have upset a team in the past fifteen years in the the tourney. Last night was the third or fourth time they have been upset - they only have one solid upset win in fifteen years - go figure

Anonymous | 10:44 a.m. March 21, 2009

I'm taking into account that the 8 and 9 seedings are a push in that the 9 seed actually wins 54 percent of the time. The probablities change from there. The 12 seed by the way wins about 31 percent of the time, so it does happen and has a few times this tourney.

AggiesRule | 11:06 a.m. March 21, 2009

BYU has lost in the past two rounds of the NCAA because they were pounded by a superior and underated Texas A&M team. Enough said.

Anonymous | 11:58 a.m. March 21, 2009

re: Anonymous

Utah has won 17 tournament games in the past 15 years, including 4 sweet 16's, an elite 8, and a championship game appearance. During that same period BYU hasn't won a single tournament game. Go figure that.

So What? | 12:35 p.m. March 21, 2009

Regardless of how poor they did, BYU did have a good season, not excellent, and Dave Rose is a great coach. He may have been outcoached against Texas A & M, but he had a good season - third title in three years. Texas A & M had superior athletes, no question, at least in the game against BYU they played out of their heads. BYU did not defend the wings, and while the zone defense had worked in the past in the MWC, it could not defend 10 for 10 in the opening minutes - and that was the story line of the game. Next year they should be better, if Miles works hard during the spring and summer. Tyler Haws will add compliment to Jackson Emery is starting to emerge from the shadow of Cummard and Tavenari. I'm not sure if having JT another year is a plus, he still has not learned to be a team player. They should prevail for the fourth year with some hard work and a good half court game. Once opponents zeroed in on their fast break, the second half of the season was much more tedious for their offense.

Utah State Curse | 12:37 p.m. March 21, 2009

If a coach (Rose) doesn't have the guts to play in Logan (ending a 100 year tradition last year) that weak mind translates to the players and they play weak in tough situations.

I love the Utes!! | 12:49 p.m. March 21, 2009

We are so great cuz we're the Utes...We have more "almosts" than everybody else. It's because we're great and no body can touch us cuz we're the Mighty Utes. Because we won the Tourney our coach cries like an ugly girl that just got asked to the Prom for the first time...How cute!

Seattleview | 1:03 p.m. March 21, 2009

Any team can "play better". The question is will BYU win if they "play up to their potential' or is this the best they can do?

No defense. A&M played great becuase BYU made it pretty easy for them.

No competitive spirit. It is ok to lose at BYU. Did they ever play above themselves?

No strategy- did BYU ever take anything away from the other team? Did they ever have key plays or players who would deliver points at key times/

Congratulations to coach Rose. It has been a good stretch. Question is, will it ever get better? Will this positively affect recruiting (come help us win a tournament game) or hurt it (dont go to BYU and become a reserved soft spoken loser).

We will see.

Uh Dick? | 1:56 p.m. March 21, 2009

You forgot any type of comment about the MT West being inferior to other conferences. I know you would have mentioned something about how under rated they were if they had won so.....? Homer says D'oh!

HABIT | 2:24 p.m. March 21, 2009

How many times does something need to happen before it officially becomes a HABIT?

Dick:

This trend passed HABIT a long time ago!

Anonymous | 4:02 p.m. March 21, 2009

utah gets upset more often than they can upset anybody but talk as if they are all thay now that always figures.

A&M | 4:13 p.m. March 21, 2009

The Aggies were pounded by UCONN. And BYU actually thought A&M were a good team. LOL

TheHailstorm | 4:15 p.m. March 21, 2009

Here are the facts , All three teams from Utah lost in the first round.
Different student- athletes, different coaching preparations,-different sites,- different opponents. We live , learn, and move along.
To some name calling, historical applications, and bashing a rival is a sport in it's self.
The facts are these win or lose, move along, support the University of Utah woman's Basketball team, and wait until football season starts.

Going to the tourney every year | 4:54 p.m. March 21, 2009

Fortunately, going to the Big Dance every year is also a habit BYU seems to have down. I don't know many that can make that claim.

BigBYUFan | 4:57 p.m. March 21, 2009

It's NOT about race,

It's NOT about better atheletes,

It ALL about confidence.

There is a difference between a team that hopes it can win,

and a team that knows it can win.

Re:BigBYUFan | 5:25 p.m. March 21, 2009

Yep, that definately worked for the utes. Oh wait . . .

RE: Re:BigBYUFan | 10:51 p.m. March 21, 2009

We are talking about players and the coaches not the the stupid fans.

I think BigBYUFan was talking the cool confidence some players, teams and coaches have, like jordon or or coach K or Edwards.

or the intense confidence like and urban meyer or kyle whitteningham.

Only a few rare byu players have had thsi kind of confidence, like ainge, or mcmahon or detmer

I am sure have many others to a lesser degree, that is in part why they were such good players. This needs to be a requirement for all players.

But kind of confidence that allows a player to take over games, make trhings happen, that is rare.

Re:Utah State Curse | 11:11 p.m. March 21, 2009

Bring your Aggies to the Marriot Center and we will be glad to come up to Logan. And so you got shorted a game, but really are you blaming the loss to BYU on playing at a neutral site? I like the rivalry with the Aggies, but please no more crying about losing to BYU at the ESC. Your Aggies had as much chance to win that game as BYU and probably had more fans in the stands.

It's almost like your saying that if you don't have the lopsided home court advantage at the Spectrum that you can't win. That's lame. The USU B-ball program is a good one and USU may have been a better team than BYU this year even though they lost to them.

So saying what you did in your post that playing at the ESC actually had something to do with BYU's one and done is pure BS, but really is just more blubbering and sour grapes on your part. Get over it.

4 decade BYU fan | 11:48 p.m. March 21, 2009

Dave Rose poses for the camera on "The Beat Goes On". He likes to look good on the camera and he is always posing. Do you think Stew Moril cares how he looks on camera? Hail NO! He is there to coach and MOTIVATE his players. The were prepared and BYU looked like they were being reverent while Rose was posing for the camera. Tender little hans folded snuggly and tight. Tender little feelings. These tender little Coagars do not belong in the Dance. They would get bounced in the NIT as well. Oh yeah, Houston already did that to them. Rose is weak, just like Bronco!

I am cancelling my season tickets after 23 years!

you guys are the real losers. | 3:23 a.m. March 22, 2009

There are some bitter fans around here. BYU layed an egg, as did utah. The MWC stunk it up. You need to lighten up. Remind me who cares this much about bball? Remind me how that is going to affect your life beyond getting some ribbing from some relative/friend in another state? It's a game for crying out loud. I'm not thrilled with the way BYU played, but I've got more important things to do. Like cry about how much I hate fans that complain! ;)

Cougar Blue | 10:07 a.m. March 22, 2009

Don't complain about New Mexico losing in the NIT. The NIT format is so flawed with the home-court advantage. Notre Dame won their 1st game at home by 2 points--then beat NM at home by 2 points. On a neutral court or at the Pit, they would probably have lost those games. What does that say about Notre Dame? Friends in High Places?

crusty | 3:09 p.m. March 22, 2009

What a joke! They're talking on T.V. about how good the big east is. I've never like seeding. Why don't they just put the names of all teams into a big pot then draw two teams at a time for the tournament brackets? If a team is really good, they'll win. The big east starts with the easiest teams possible than brags about its winning? They should be ashamed to win this way. Even North Carolina. What are you afraid of? Play somebody first!!! North Carolina may be the best, but play the least challenging teams on what I consider a home field advantage. It appears the sweet sixteen is planned out for television revenue. Every now and then a cinderela team sneaks in, but mostly the top sixteen are pre-choosen for the sake of money flow. Lets forget politics and play ball!!

re: Crusty | 4:27 p.m. March 22, 2009

They can back it up. BYU loses to A&M and UConn blows them out. They play a tough schedule and deserve the seeds they get. If BYU beats wake and ASU, they are probably a 3 or 4 seed and scheduled to make the Sweet 16, like Gonzaga. If they went undefeated or 1 or 2 loses with those wins. Probably a 1 or 2 seed. It was the same with UNLV back in the day. Multiple #1 seeds out of the big West.

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