10:00 pm: New Mexico @ No. 3 BYU: This is the game that everyone will be watching tonight. Just a day after news broke that Brandon Davies has been kicked off of the BYU team for a violation of the school's Honor Code (a violation that was not criminal in nature), the Cougars will be taking the court for the first time without him.
The consensus around the blogosphere is that Davies' removal has cost BYU a chance at reaching the Final Four. I don't necessarily agree with that. There is no question that Davies is an important piece for the Cougars -- especially considering that Chris Collinsworth is already out for the season with an injury -- but the Cougars still have Jimmer Fredette. Fredette had a four game stretch earlier this year, which included games at Utah, at Colorado State, and against San Diego State, where he averaged 40.8 ppg. He scored 39 at UNLV. He had 37 against Florida in last year's first round matchup. He went for a career-high 49 at Arizona in the regular season last year.
Fredette can carry this team. The field is weaker this year than it was in 2009, when Stephen Curry led Davidson to within a missed three of the Final Four. BYU will be a much better seed than Davidson (who was a No. 10), meaning they will get an easier path. I'd also argue that Jackson Emery and Noah Hartsock are as good as, in not better than, Jason Richards and Andrew Lovelace.
Yes, the loss of Davies makes it that much more difficult for the Cougars to get to Houston. But it certainly doesn't mean that it is impossible for BYU to make a run. Hartsock and Kyle Collinsworth are going to need to up their scoring, and Stephen Rogers and Logan Magnusson both are going to have to provide interior defense.
I wouldn't bet on it happening. But certainly don't rule it out.
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Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Wednesday's Pregame Beat: Talking about BYU's Final Four chances |
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