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The 2012-2013 BYU Basketball season hasn't turned out like most of us predicted. At 21-11, the Cougars' postseason destination is still in doubt. While an invitation to the NIT is likely, hosting a home game in Provo is no longer a sure thing.
Regardless of where BYU plays in the coming weeks, fans are left with a sense of disappointment based on what has turned out to be unfair expectations.
I'm as guilty as anyone. Heading into this season, I thought this team was a sure-fire NCAA Tournament team. With Brandon Davies in the post, Matt Carlino leading the team at point, and Tyler Haws returning from a mission, I was convinced that BYU would finish the year with around 25 wins and at least one or two games in the NCAAs.
Even with non-conference loses to Florida State, Notre Dame, Iowa State and Baylor, I still believed the Cougars could right the ship and make their run in WCC play. All that changed with one shot -- Delevadova's buzzer-beater in Provo. Prior to the home loss to St. Mary's, BYU was 14-4; after that game, the Cougars went 7-6.
There are several issues that you can point to as reasons why BYU struggled down the stretch. Brandon Davies dealt with foul trouble just about every game. There were too many times where Davies had to sit for long stretches in the first half and BYU's reserve post-play was non-existent. Matt Carlino lacked consistency all season long. Matt would follow up a 15-point, six-assist game with two points and five turnovers.
To me, the biggest issue for this year's BYU basketball team was a lack of depth. There was never a consistent bench presence, which hurt the Cougars all season. Players like Raul Delgado, Agustin Ambrosino and Cory Calvert were supposed to give BYU a spark, but that never happened. When any of the "Big 3" left the floor, the production decreased and the Cougars struggled.
Now that we've touched on what went wrong, I think it's important to realize that this BYU team still has 21 wins, with the possibility of more to come in the post-season.
Since Dave Rose took over as head coach in 2005, BYU has averaged 25-wins before post-season play. The Cougars' highest win-total heading into the post-season was 30 during the 2010-2011 season. BYU's lowest was Rose's first season at the helm when the Cougars had 20 wins in 2005-2006.
| Year | Total wins prior to post-season play |
|---|---|
| 2012-2013 | 21 |
| 2011-2012 | 25 |
| 2010-2011 | 30 |
| 2009-2010 | 29 |
| 2008-2009 | 25 |
| 2007-2008 | 27 |
| 2006-2007 | 25 |
| 2005-2006 | 20 |
For most teams, 21 wins is a great season. I think it says a lot about how much success this program has had under Coach Rose that 21 wins is viewed as a down year.
With post-season games still to play, BYU has the opportunity to improve on its current win total. Whether or not a few more wins changes your opinion on this season, it will most likely come down to what your expectations were before the year started. It appears that most of our expectations were too high.
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Photo: Courtesy of BYU Photos
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