BYU can prove a point

With a 28-4 record going into the Mountain West Conference tournament, BYU already has more basketball wins than any in school history. This year’s men’s team is being compared with the best the school has ever produced.

Still, the factor that matters most is whether a team thrives in the post-season. BYU hasn’t won in the NCAA Tournament since 1993. It hasn’t won two games since the Danny Ainge-led 1981 team that made the Elite Eight.

As long as Jimmer Fredette is healthy, this year’s team has a decent chance to do improve on the Cougars’ post-season record. BYU expects to get a better seeding than other years. It hasn’t had anything higher than an eight seed since 1988. That year the No. 4-seeded Cougars beat UNC-Charlotte(No. 13) in the first round before losing to No. 5-seeded Louisville.

The Cougars need not complain too much about seeding until they start winning tournament games again. They lost to lower seeded teams the last three years, as well as 1995. It’s true that the last three years BYU was just a No. 8 seed, playing a No. 9, but if you can’t win those, the committee is usually reluctant to move you up.

This is a year the Cougars should be able to make a statement.