Concerns about the team

[jay santos]

1. Hartsock's production seems to have really dropped off over the past few weeks. Miles, Davies, and JT all have played better to offset this.

2. Emery's outside shooting the past few weeks has been awful. Haws has been on fire to offset this, as well as increased quality of minutes from Loyd and Abouo.

Is this normal ebb and flow of a team with guys getting cold as other guys get hot, or should we be concerned?

[Indy Coug]

I think Hartsock is still struggling the the right role. I'm not too worried about Emery because as a general rule he doesn't overshoot and he does so many other things to offset a bad night shooting.

I think our depth as a whole is so good that these items that may have been more of a cause for concern in past years than they are this year.

$0.02

[Blueintheface]

More amazing than the ups and downs of individual players is this team's ability to compensate with other players stepping up. Normal BYU teams would dissolve after going 3 deep to the bench but this team seems to legitimately go to 10 players. 1 more and we'd go to 11.

[TripletDaddy]

In the spirit of fairness, I must recognize that Miles contributed to the SDSU win.

I had previously posted about esteeming Miles as a steaming pile of poo.

How has Emery's shooting percentage dipped? He has definitely seen more athletic/tougher perimeter D in teams like SDSU and UNLV, so that would likely be a factor.

[Blueintheface]

I had previously posted about esteeming Miles as a steaming pile of poo.

His non-call travel, although overplayed by "the coach" on the .mtn, was a thing of beauty. Poo has seldom taken that many steps and been given credit for 2 points.

[Art Vandelay]

I have always thought (and still do) that Jackson is the glue that holds this team together. He does so many things well, however SDSU was a bad game for him. He was forcing shots, not helping on the defensive boards and worst of all made a horrendous decision on the intentional foul of White. I expect a much better game from him tomorrow.

I think my wife has a crush on him, he is the only player she ever comments on, "he looks nice" "he can really jump high" "I would dump you for him". Well 2/3 of those statements are actual quotes.

[Blueintheface]

I think my wife has a crush on him, he is the only player she ever comments on, "he looks nice" "he can really jump high" "I would dump you for him". Well 2/3 of those statements are actual quotes.

I knew that she would never say "he can really jump high".

[CardiacCoug]

I think my wife has a crush on him, he is the only player she ever comments on, "he looks nice" "he can really jump high" "I would dump you for him". Well 2/3 of those statements are actual quotes.

My wife seems to have a thing for Jackson as well. He sits pretty close to us at the BYU football games and I wouldn't put it past her to go strike up a conversation with him.

[Art Vandelay]

I just finished rewatching the UNM game. I'm even more convinced this team can only go as far as Jackson takes them. He looked terrible against the Lobos. That is perhaps the worst defensive game I have ever seen him play. He generally is a great mano y mano defender...but he was caught flat footed several times last night. I think the most telling play of the his night was when he passed up a relative easy layup, he was going full speed and had a the defender on his heels, yet passed it to JT for missed 3. He doesn't need to score big points but he does need to hit the open 3, not the forced ones he has taken for the past 2 games and he needs to get to the front of the rim. Last year he could take people off the bounce, he is really struggling to do that this year. Jackson has a high baskeball IQ and probably like most elite athletes is more aware of his mistakes than anyone else, I fully expect him to have a great game Saturday and a good 2nd half of the season. If BYU wants to make any noise in March it is going to need #4 to play at his usual high level.

I sure hope I don't ever meet Chris Miles in a dark alley...because I would toss him a ball he would likely drop, I would make a smart alec comment, and he would beat the snot out of me.

[Bastage]

I'd love to see Emery take it to the basket more. He seems to settle for jumpers.

[smokymountainrain]

I'd love to see Emery take it to the basket more. He seems to settle for jumpers.

After watching that UNM game, I'd love to see him stay in front of somebody defensively.

[Blueintheface]

After watching that UNM game, I'd love to see him stay in front of somebody defensively.

He appears to be trying to take the charge but all he's taking is a nap. It's like he doesn't feel the guy slide by and doesn't move an inch. Very weird for a guy with amazing speed and quickness in the passing lanes.

[Viking]

Losing stinks.

[Blueintheface]

Losing stinks.

Introspection is always a part of losing. Sometimes it's creative and sometimes it's just funny. What's really funny though is internet fans pretending to play a part in the team's successes or failures. We really do have a high opionion of ourselves.

<pause> Then again, Max read the boards, as evidenced by his tirade, so maybe we play a bigger part than we think. I take it back, we are more important than the teams we follow.

[old_gregg]

of all the games this season to lose, though, shouldn't this be one to be thankful for? i mean, it's justifiable (legit top 25 team, in the pit), and it seems like a good time to pick up a much lower pressure stride and take that into the tournament.