BYU basketball: Short-handed Cougars decimated by UTA at home

BYU basketball got shellacked by UT Arlington in the first round of the NIT. The Cougars’ season is over.

Finally, mercifully, the BYU basketball season is over.

A year defined by injuries, inexperience, losses and missed opportunities came to an end tonight, as the BYU basketball team went out with a fizzle against UTA. The Cougars lost 105-89.

The Cougars were without Elijah Bryant – who Dave Rose announced was done for the season last night – and TJ Haws was playing while ill.

In turn, BYU basketball trotted out a smorgasbord of low-end bench players. Davin Guinn played 24 minutes. Zach Frampton played 17 minutes. Steven Beo checked in for 23.

Eric Mika led the Cougars with 29 points. He was 8-of-13 from the field and 13-of-16 from the free-throw line. Nick Emery dropped 24 points and Haws added 11.

BYU basketball shot 43 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3-point range. Offense wasn’t the problem.

The trouble, like it has been so often this season, boiled down to ball security and defense.

The Cougars committed 20 turnovers to UTA’s nine. The Mavericks scored 32 points off those turnovers.

Not to mention, UTA shot 55 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point land. The Mavericks scored a Marriott Center record 62 points in the first half alone.

Three different Mavericks scored 20+ points. Drew Charles scored – who entered the game averaging 7.7 points per game – dropped 28 points. Kaelon Wilson scored 20 points. Sun Belt Player of the Year Kevin Hervey scored 22.

It was ugly, it was embarrassing and it was… sadly, familiar.

Tonight felt like Utah Valley all over again.

Firstly, let’s clarify. UT Arlington is no UVU. The Mavericks are a talented team, that was super close to making the NCAA Tournament.

I don’t want to take anything away from UTA.

However, BYU basketball is not the only team in the nation to face adversity. Every team faces injuries and short-handedness. BYU’s problem was that it never responded and fought through it.

Instead, it turned into ‘Well, we’re in a tough spot. Poor us.’ The effort the Cougars showed in their last two games – which they lost by a combined total of 47 points – was pitiful and embarrassing. The team quit. There’s no excuse for that.

Now, BYU faces a long offseason that hopefully includes some soul searching and improvement. UTA moves on to host Akron in a second round NIT match up.