Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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*Keys to the Game:***Tempo**
Dave Noriega (@davenoriega):
"BYU beats Mercer by 19, but it feels like a lot closer game than that. Every time BYU got a double-digit lead, Mercer would make a run and BYU would have to battle to get that lead back up."
Greg Wrubell (@gregwrubell):
"It's ironic that with a slow down team like Mercer, you felt like no lead was safe. The 14 point lead, the 17 point lead, and Mercer would cut it to single digits. This was a lower tempo team that proved when needed, they could really go back and forth with a very high-paced team in BYU. BYU scored 90 points for the second straight game, but it wasn't that they ran away from Mercer until the very end."
The Big Three (and one) of Haws, Davies, Carlino (and Zylstra)
Jason Shepherd (@kslshep):
"In the win over Washington they scored 79 of the 90, (on Monday) 68 of the 90. In the last two games, 147 of 180 points have been scored by the Big Three. You had 26 from Davies, 24 from Haws and 18 from Carlino and I really think that for the second straight game Carlino was the key."
Greg Wrubell (@gregwrubell):
"Matt Carlino's five 3-pointers were huge. As big were Brock Zylstra's four. Zylstra had gone the last two games without a 3-point shot and as important a key as the Big Three were, I thought Brock Zylstra's 14 points were really integral to this win."
Matt Carlino the facilitator
Dave Noriega (@davenoriega):
"Nine assists for Matt Carlino for the second straight game, we are really seeing Matt distribute the ball and be that all-around point guard. People have wondered if he's more of a combo-guard, but we've seen recently, as well as in spurts during the season, that Matt can be a really talented passer."
Greg Wrubell (@gregwrubell):
"BYU has never lost a game when (Matt) has seven or more assists per game. They are 13-0 all-time when he gets to the seven assist plateau. He got to nine on Monday."
Bench Concerns
Jason Shepherd (@kslshep):
"Especially when you are on the road, you need your bench helping out the other guys. When you are getting 79 and 68 points from your main guys, you are going to win a lot of games. The question is, can they do that on the road? Something that BYU has, that they haven't had in a while, is confidence. The last 10 games of the regular season (6 wins and 4 losses) and the loss to San Diego in the West Coast Conference Tournament, it's been kind of a down team. Now they've had two really good performances where the offense is clicking... that's got to energize this group."
