So BYU is the highest rated #5 seed but gets bounced to Omaha as a #6 seed
Pope, “The NCAA Selection Committee put out their one-through-68 list, and we were 17. So we were the No. 1 five (seed). And so I am super proud of that,” Pope said, after being asked if he was surprised that BYU got a lower seed than No. 5 seed San Diego State, a team that it beat 74-65 in Provo on Nov. 10…code word, " We got screwed again"
BYU beat both SDSU and Kansas (Both teams gets better seedings) so BYU has to go to Omaha because Kansas was awarded SL City and you can’t have 2 same conf. teams in the sweet 16.
Enough on that:
1 Duquesne is smallest team BYU will have played all year.
2 they just played 4 games in 4 days and won so they are in as A10 Champs but the crazy thing is VCU and Duguesne were middle of the A-10. The better teams lost early.
3 they play really really good Defense, just beat VCU in the championship game while only shooting 29% for the game. (that is not a typo) and beat a Dayton team full of higher rated players, Dayton goes 6’6 and taller.
So…how would I play Duquesne?
Their best 3 playes are Seniors and short.
Sr. G #3 Grant is 6’2, rated 4,3, does everything. plays 35 minutes per game…play Saunders for 35 min
Sr PG, #1 Clark lll is 6’3, rated 2.5, assist leader, also plays about 35 mins per game…l Hall or Johnson
Between the 2, they take by far the most shots on this team.
Fr G #6’4 DeMichele, rated 1.5 (all their players are rated far below BYU with exception of Grant.
Sr F #0 6’10, Mahorcic or Drame, these guys are not scorers, rebounders only, no ratings…FOOS!
Sr F #4 Williams, 250lbs, 0 rating, will have to play with FooS in the game,
and lastly, #32, So Rosier at 5’9
Tendencies
1They have to be super quick, they don’t score much inside,
2 shoot a lot of jumpers.90% of the scoring by Guards,
3 Don’t shoot a lot of 3s either. but Clark and Grant take most the shots.,
4 They made a good Dayton team full of height and much higher rated plays look silly in the playoffs.
They out rebounded Dayton 45-28.
I would counter with a whole lot of Foos inside but I would be smart about it. Dumping down with 4 guards would seem to be obvious but then Foos gets doubled and TOs. Play the high pic with Hall and Foos then kick out for 3s.
Khalifa and Foos should have a field day with these guys and if they don’t, BYU will have a tough win.
Post up their smaller guys, give them a diet of Johnson, Robinson, Hall and Saunders bully ball inside.
and of course if your 3s are falling, blow them out…but don’t brick away and get behind!