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-This game was won by Texas A&M on the boards in the 2nd half.  Both teams were basically even at the end of the 1st half (A&M 15-14) but A&M dominated the 2nd stanza with a 22-11 edge including several key off boards leading to crucial buckets. 
-A&M had a good game plan because they knew exactly how BYU was going to defend them coming in.  That was stated by their Head Coach Mark Turgeon after the game.  He claimed they knew all their sets and pointed out that in BYU’s games against the big boys (Louisville/NC/Michigan St) BYU doubled the low post.  That is why Josh Carter had so many open looks allowing him to bury six threes (5-7 in 1st half).  When the outside shot stopped falling in the 2nd half that’s when they pounded it inside.  It was a well coached game by Turgeon. 
-Keys coming in were Plaisted providing an inside presence and the perimeter players hitting their threes.  Plaisted was awful in the 1st half with just 2 pts, 1 reb and 2 fouls in 10 min.  In fact Chris Miles played just as well with 2pts in 10 min.  At least Miles was playing aggressively.  In the 2nd half Plaisted came alive but this one game summed up his season in my mind showing his inconsistency.  He has one more year to shed this label and have a shot to be productive at the next level. 
-As for the perimeter shooting BYU finished 7 of 22 from 3pt land (31.8%).  Tavernari was 3 for 9 and took a flat out inexcusable three I swear that was 30 feet out with 1:24 to play and BYU trailing by 4pts.  This kid has to get smarter. 
-Surprised BYU started so slow considering the Tourney experience they received a year ago.  You could tell they were nervous short-arming most of their early shots.  In their first 10 possessions they missed eight shots and committed 2 turnovers trailing 11-0.
-Jimmer Fredette provided a nice spark off the bench in the 1st half and that led Rose to play him the entire 2nd half.  He played with poise for the most part which is very impressive for a freshman being in the Big Dance for the first time.  This kid has a bright future.
-Not a large BYU crowd on hand but the ones that did show were pretty vocal.  The majority of the arena was UCLA fans waiting for there game.  Unlike past tournaments I have covered where fans of other schools get behind a certain school, the UCLA faithful seemed to be indifferent for the most part.  I guess it’s that LA attitude.
-It was another successful Mountain West Conference season for BYU but that’s it. Unless they can figure out how to beat UNLV in MWC Finals which they can only hope leads to better NCAA Tourney seeding they are what they are…a nice mid-major program that now has gone 16 years without a Big Dance win.