BYU basketball: How far will depth carry Cougars this winter?


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PROVO — BYU concluded its exhibition campaign with a 90-61 win over the University of Findlay Oilers Saturday night in Provo, as four Cougars contributed double-figure scoring.

The Cougars kept up their winning ways, having dusted off Southeastern Oklahoma State 103-57 on Oct. 26.

BYU's second and final exhibition game started in similar fashion to its first game, albeit with one small wrinkle — the names in the starting lineup.

In the first preseason game, head coach Dave Rose started Josh Sharp at power forward and Craig Cusick at shooting guard. The second game saw Nate Austin and Brock Zylstra assume the starting role at those spots.

Head coach Dave Rose has historically favored sticking with a set starting lineup, so it will be interesting to see how quickly the coach settles into a starting five; through two exhibition games, previous experience has carried the day.

BYU vs Findlay 09 Matt Carlino puts up a layup. BYU basketball defeats Findlay in the Marriott Center (Jonathan Hardy/BYU Photo)
BYU vs Findlay 09 Matt Carlino puts up a layup. BYU basketball defeats Findlay in the Marriott Center (Jonathan Hardy/BYU Photo)

The team enters its second year in the West Coast Conference with only two players on the roster possessing more than a single season of playing experience; as as result, a successful season is going to depend on relative newcomers and less-experienced players providing valuable minutes throughout the season.

Rose balanced minutes throughout the exhibition season in an attempt to give the younger players more confidence, as well as evaluate what progress the team has made in practice since the start of camp.

The battle for minutes has been something that has helped the team prepare for the regular season, according to one of the young contributors, freshman guard Cory Calvert.

"I think it's really healthy for our team to have a lot of competition," Calvert said. "You can't come in one day and just be relaxed because at any time someone else could be going in for you."

Guard Craig Cusick agreed with Calvert.

"I think that is one of the good things about this year's team: We're extremely deep," Cusick said. "In practice, you can't take off a single play if you want to get playing time. Coach can be really flexible and change things up. It motivates you to make sure you're always playing your hardest."

When asked about the change in lineups, Rose said that the battle for minutes is not going to end when the regular season gets underway.

"I think that this team especially — there's a potential for guys to get a lot of minutes one game and maybe not so many minutes the next game," Rose said. "Our talent level has improved and I think that the nights guys are playing well they're going to keep playing."


I think it's really healthy for our team to have a lot of competition. You can't come in one day and just be relaxed because at any time someone else could be going in for you.

–BYU freshman guard Cory Calvert


The minutes were certainly even throughout the preseason. Recently returned sophomore Tyler Haws has led the team in minutes, at 27.5 per game, helping answer any questions about his level of conditioning after spending two years in the Philippines on an LDS mission.

After Haws, there are nine players that averaged between 16.5 and 21.5 minutes per game in the preseason: Matt Carlino, Brandon Davies, Sharp, Raul Delgado, Cusick, Brock Zylstra, Calvert, Austin and Agustin Ambrosino.

With 200 minutes available each game, there is a possibility of fielding a 10-deep roster with each player spending 20 minutes on the court. Coach Rose has spoken of how this year the team has two five-man rosters and that different players will contribute in different ways throughout the season.

When the curtains drop on Nov. 9, which five players will have their names called out to the thousands of cheering fans? Who will be the first player coach Rose points at and motions to the scorer's table as a substitute? Who will BYU rely on when the clock is winding down in the second half and the team needs to protect a lead?

Fans will have to wait and see.

Interesting things from the preseason

Carlino had more assists (14) than points (10) in the preseason.

Davies had 19 rebounds to lead BYU in that category — but Sharp had eight offensive rebounds to Davies' six.

Davies and Austin were the only Cougars to record a block in the preseason. The team recorded 14 steals in the two games, with no player recording more than two.

Davies is also tied for third place on three-point percentage on the team at 50 percent, behind Craig Cusick and Tyler Haws. He is first in field-goal percentage and first in points scored.

Craig Cusick made six baskets in the preseason — five of them were 3-pointers.

Tyler Haws was 9-9 on free throws. His 91.7 percentage from the line his freshman year set a BYU record.

Against Findlay, Ambrosino had three fouls in his first three minutes. But he played the rest of the evening with nary a whistle.

The student section broke out signs in the Findlay game. Some of the featured items were Jackie Chan, Beauty and the Beast and Bane cutouts, all of which were waved vigorously during Findlay's free-throw attempts.

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Daniel Lewis

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