As a die-hard BYU Cougar fan, Saturday night was ever so painful for me, but it is something I should be used to by now.

BYU led the entire game against the number-13 ranked Oregon Ducks but let the game slip away in the final minutes.  This is not something new to Cougar fans however.  They never seem to be able to get over the hump and win these tight game over top-notch opponents.

This is the second game of the year where brutal free throw shooting was a huge factor cost in the loss.  By the time you make it to the college ranks you should be proficient at taking free throws.  To be a good shooter from the line, all you have to do is put in the work.  I know it isn’t the sexiest part of basketball but it needs to be done.  That way you wouldn’t give uncontested points away every night.

That wasnt the only reason that BYU lost though.  When you have a decent lead in the final minutes, you need to know how to use the shot clock to your advantage.  You need to use all of the clock and run a play to get a good look.  There is no way that the Cougars should still be jacking up contested shoots with 25 plus seconds left on the clock with a lead.  What that does is it gives the other team an opportunity to get more possessions which is exactly what the Ducks needed.

The two most important things to know as a player when you are on the floor is time and score.  It is clear that some of the BYU players aren’t always aware of that fact or what it means. Hopefully those are a few things that BYU can figure out in practice so that they can have a successful run through the West Coast Conference and find their way back to the NCAA tournament.