Honors, rankings, awards and accolades are all nice, but they’re only meaningful so long as they reflect a team’s accomplishment. As far as the BYU men’s and women’s basketball seasons are concerned, the numbers speak for themselves.
The men’s team finished the regular season with a 23-7 record while posting league records for most points scored (1,263), most field goals made (459) and three-point percentage (.457) against conference foes.
The women’s team posted a 21-8 record, led by MWC co-player of the year Dani Wright, who averaged 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
Mentioning the wealth of honors both teams earned Monday only belabors the point to say it’s been a good year for the BYU sports program. Both basketball teams won outright MWC championships, coaches Dave Rose and Jeff Judkins were honored as MWC coaches of the year and Keena Young and Dani Wright were named MWC players of the year. We congratulate both teams for their accomplishments over the past season, and wish them well as they participate in the upcoming tournaments.
Both teams are entering the MWC tournament as the No. 1 seeds. The men’s team is considered a lock for the NCAA Tournament; a strong performance by the women’s team will likely reserve them a seat at the big dance as well. They have all the momentum they need to come out on top of the MWC tournaments, but this is not time for complacency.
The No. 1 rankings will only inspire – not intimidate – every other team in the conference. In tournament play, the only certainty is uncertainty. Expect every opponent to bring their best game to the court against the Cougars. All we have to say is to finish the way you’ve played all year.
We echo the charge of King Henry V: “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more … show us here the mettle of your pasture; let us swear that you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not … The game’s afoot: Follow your spirit.”
