BYU Basketball: Takeaways from the overtime loss to Saint Mary's

BYU Basketball: Takeaways from the overtime loss to Saint Mary’s

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Brigham Young Cougars mascot Cosmo the Cougar performs during the team's semifinal game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament against the Saint Mary's Gaels at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Saint Mary's won 81-50. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 06: Joe Rahon /

Cougars are “much better” on defense than last year

When it comes to the metrics and analytics, they’ll tell you that the defense last year and the one this year are roughly the same. I’ve watched them both and I can unequivocally tell you that this team is far superior on the defensive end.

It’s true that there were games where BYU held their opponents to 50 points last year, but that was more about their issues that the Cougars playing sound defense. Also, the defense a year ago was inconsistent at best, which meant that it was about effort, not execution. Giving up 114 to Utah Valley and 100 to an awful Pepperdine team was just abysmal.

In this one, the Cougars gave the Gaels one of their worst offensive games of the season, holding them to just 60 points in regulation. Randy Bennett’s offense is very efficient but also predictable. It requires players to defend all 30 seconds of the shot clock, something many 18-22-year-olds struggle with.

For BYU to have success in this games bodes well for their return trip to Moraga, as well as a potential third meeting in Vegas.