Jimmer and the top 10 Cougars of BYU
The new men’s college basketball rankings came out this morning and the 20-1 BYU Cougars are ranked #10 in the coaches poll. This is the highest ranking for the Cougs since the ’87-88 team. I think this is the best BYU hoops team since the Danny Ainge days.
BYU is led by Junior point guard Jimmer Fredette out of New York state. I have long thought Jimmer was the best player on the team — ever since he looked like the best BYU player on the floor in the NCAA tournament game his freshman year. This year no one can deny Jimmer is one of the best guards in the country. He really turned heads nationally at the end of December when he dropped 49 points on Arizona in Tucson, setting a new BYU scoring record and a new McKale Center scoring record in the process. The only problem was that he came down with a case of mono right after that game and it has taken the better part of a month for him to bounce back.
But that is partially why the team’s 20-1 record is so impressive this year. BYU has talent all over the team and thus BYU managed to keep winning in the absence of their best player. BYU has 10 guys who contribute in significant ways and I am convinced that the 5 players coming off the bench would be in the upper echelon of the Mountain West Conference all by themselves.
BYU fans have become a bit gun shy when it comes to really getting into BYU basketball in the last several years. That is understandable when you consider that the last time BYU won an NCAA tournament game I was a student there — and that was a long time ago folks (1993). But this year is looking different. This team looks better. This seems like the year BYU gets a 3-6 seed in the tourney and makes it at least to the second round. But I am taking it further than that. I am sticking with my pre-season prediction of a Sweet 16 run for the Cougs. I was laughed to scorn when I predicted it then… (ok not really)… but my prediction looks less crazy now than it did back then. There is still plenty of room on the bandwagon folks. Go Cougs!
PS — We took the family to Disneyland last week and I was amazed at how many people besides me were donning BYU gear. I felt like I was saying “Go Cougs” every ten feet or so. (I think BYU need a cool hand signal like the “Hook ’em Horns” Texas has)
Oh, I was watching BYU beat SDSU this weekend with freshman Tyler Haws having a really good game. I asked Kristen if she remembered Marty Haws on the team back in the day and she said “Yeah that name does sound familiar — is that his younger brother?”
Uh, no. Tyler is his son.
Comment by Geoff J — January 25, 2010 @ 2:21 pm
I second your motion: this Cougars team is the best basketball team at BYU since Danny Ainge, Greg Kite, Fred Roberts and company.
I also like the idea of a cool hand signal. Is it possible to make a ‘Y’ with one hand?
Comment by Dallin — January 25, 2010 @ 9:20 pm
This is clearly a top 10 team. First in the nation to 20 wins. They are a delight to watch because they play with grit, confidence and they share the ball well, very well. Their transition game is absolutely phenomenal.
Dallin: it’s called a peace sign.
Comment by TrevorM — January 26, 2010 @ 2:00 am
You’re right Geoff. This is a darn good team. If Jimmer can become 100% then they will be that much better. It is rather amazing that he can play as he does with mono. However, there is still a lot of ball ahead and BYU still faces some of the toughest competition the MWC has posted in years.
Comment by Blake — January 26, 2010 @ 8:15 am
How about a peace/victory sign with the thumb extended downward?
Nope. It looks more like I’m about robo-claw someone.
Still, “Go Cougars!”
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Comment by Ben Pratt — January 26, 2010 @ 4:09 pm
Yeah, I can’t even do it in ASCII text.
Comment by Ben Pratt — January 26, 2010 @ 4:09 pm
I think we should go with a vertical hang loose Y or sorts. Sort of like the Hook Em Horns sign but using the pinky and thumb as the arms of the Y.
Comment by Geoff J — January 26, 2010 @ 6:35 pm
Turns out I just described the American sign language Y. All the better.
Comment by Geoff J — January 26, 2010 @ 7:05 pm
The Vulcan sign made by Spock looks like a Y. “Live long and prosper” and “rise all loyal cougars”.
Comment by El Oso — January 26, 2010 @ 9:42 pm
Hehe. Ok the Vulcan sign is pretty good.
The main problem is it already means something really specific. So I am still thinking the ASL Y is our best bet.
Comment by Geoff J — January 26, 2010 @ 9:48 pm
I was watching an ESPN online video during breakfast this morning, and their “bracketologist” was saying that BYU not only has a chance for a 2 or 3 position, but is possibly good enough to remain in the western bracket–which means the third and fourth games would be in SLC.
But, I agree with Blake that they have some tough conference foes coming up, including tonight in the Pit.
Also, I can get behind this ASL Y idea.
Comment by Ben — January 27, 2010 @ 3:46 am
How about knuckle tattoos? They would go well with fistbumps, methinks.
Comment by Peter LLC — January 27, 2010 @ 5:26 am
Knuckle tattoos would work better it we were all Simpson’s characters with three fingers.
Comment by Geoff J — January 27, 2010 @ 9:14 am
#23 UNM ended BYU’s winning streak last night in The Pit. BYU will drop in the rankings next week but probably not by a lot. Hopefully the loss will be a valuable learning experience for BYU.
Comment by Geoff J — January 28, 2010 @ 1:22 pm
BYU played well in that game. UNM played very well.
Comment by TrevorM — January 28, 2010 @ 3:41 pm
BYU took care of Utah tonight, beating them by 13 at home. Jimmer came up big again with 36 points.
Comment by Geoff J — January 30, 2010 @ 9:36 pm
Update: The close loss at The Pit didn’t hurt BYU much in the polls. BYU stayed at #12 in the AP and dropped from #10 to #12 in the Coaches poll. A win at UNLV Saturday will do a lot to improve those.
Comment by Geoff J — February 1, 2010 @ 11:16 am
New Mexico sure jumped up though!
Comment by Kent (MC) — February 1, 2010 @ 8:40 pm
The good news about BYU’s game today at UNLV is that BYU outscored UNLV by 8 points in the second half. The bad news is that UNLV outscored BYU by 22 in the first half. What are you gonna do when a team is that hot? Hopefully BYU will learn some valuable lessons from their first blowout loss of the season. I expect the rankings will drop 6-8 spots on Monday. If BYU must eat humble pie I prefer it to be in early Feb. rather than in March.
The good news is that this was the hardest game left on the regular season schedule. BYU should be favored in the final 7 before the MWC tourney.
Comment by Geoff J — February 6, 2010 @ 4:13 pm
If BYU wins the MWC conference tournament I see them getting a # 3 seed. If they are the runner-up I predict a #4 seed. Otherwise, I see them with a # 5 seed and finally winning in a first round game of the tournament. Go cougs!
Comment by Dan — March 6, 2010 @ 9:38 pm