BYU Basketball has had big games lost because of terrible first half starts. Let’s look closer, and see if we have a solution.
BYU Basketball has a good team, but one thing is slowing them down. The Cougars have trouble starting games. The Cougars seem to have problems playing strong first-half basketball. The Cougars play poorly in the first half, and it has cost them against Kansas, Arizona, and UConn. BYU has gotten down by at least 16 points The Cougars didn’t get punished against Utah, but it can cost them against the ranked teams, which they have a 1-4 record against. The lone win came against Kansas State.
BYU starts the game slow, missing shots like layups, dunks, and three pointers. Against Kansas, BYU was down by 20 at halftime, and despite a valiant effort by Richie Saunders, BYU fell short. The Cougars need to play a complete game, and that is when they can be one of the big boys. The biggest issue I have noticed is BYU gets down early, and starts shooting fast threes, and doesn’t take time to find a good shot. BYU needs to stay calm, and find the best shot every time.
BYU just has to be smarter in three areas: Shots, turnovers, and passing. The Cougars need to pick better shots, and not rush things just because they are behind. Basketball is a long game, and rushing shots early is only going to make it worse. BYU just has to calm down and execute. Also, missing dunks and layups is not helping. Second, the Cougars need to avoid turning the ball over, while taking it away often. Not only that, but they need to capitalize on those takeaways. Finally, BYU needs to pass the ball often, and accurately. The Cougs are throwing the ball away too often, and not getting the best looks.
Overall, BYU is a great team, but the slow starts have proved to be costly. BYU needs to be smarter in possession and shooting. BYU has potential, and they can make things better. The change can happen soon, and it needs to. BYU has a good amount of games left, and they are still in the conference title race. The best is yet to come I believe, and BYU is showing signs that they could be dangerous.
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