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Eye on the Y: Mark Pope’s personality brings an added layer to BYU coverage

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Head coach for BYU Mark Pope yells to his team as BYU takes on UNLV in men's NCAA basketball at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City on Sat. Dec. 7, 2019.

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Provo • After BYU routed Nevada 75-42 on Tuesday, at the end of the post-game interviews, coach Mark Pope called the media out on our lack of emotion. It was even funnier considering we gave Pope a hard time for his lack of sarcasm after the UNLV game.

See, when BYU fell to Utah in overtime, Pope told us he “thought the officials were amazing. That’s probably the best crew to set foot on this planet and, I’ll tell you this, a really brave and courageous crew. I mean that crew, I would take them every single game. They’re amazing.”

Throughout the week since the game, Pope has maintained that he wasn’t being sarcastic, but he could never say that with a straight face and chuckle.

So, I guess we had it coming Wednesday night for not being more lively after BYU’s second consecutive 33-point win. But to be fair, we’re media. (We don’t cheer on the team we cover, coach.)

But what I have enjoyed is how the team has taken what Pope said to us, and used it to promote themselves and gear up for the next game.

If anything, it’s just making Saturday’s game against Utah State, in what will be the final installment of the Beehive Classic, more appetizing.

More BYU coverage

BYU will face the Rainbow Warriors in their home stadium for the Hawaii Bowl.

Before the Cougars found out their bowl opponent, they worked on themselves, but now they’re focused on Hawaii.

Senior Dalton Nixon is playing agenda-free, which has led him to be a key part of the men’s basketball team.

BYU made 12 3-pointers on route to a 75-42 win over Nevada.

The Cougars have struggled with kicking over the second half of the regular season, but are using the extra preparation time to fix it before heading to Hawaii.

Other voices

The Daily Herald’s Jared Lloyd takes a look at BYU’s quarterback depth as the Cougars prepare to close out the season.

Yoeli Childs proved he’s more than a scorer during the UNLV game, Sean Walker of KSL Sports wrote.

Former BYU and Pittsburg Steeler defensive end Brett Keisel teamed up with Dick’s Sporting Goods and dressed up as a Camo Santa to deliver presents to children at the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburg, the Deseret News’ Brandon Judd wrote.

Around campus

All-American Whittni Orton clocked 15:22.98 to set a new indoor school record in the 5,000m at the Boston University Sharon Calyear-Danville season opener on Saturday. The previous record of 15:51.02 was set by Laura Young Bluth in 2018. Orton also holds the No. 2 spot on the BYU record board for the indoor mile with a time of 4:34.88.

The Cougar women’s basketball team fell 66-55 to Boise State on Wednesday night at the ExtraMile Arena. Paisley Johnson score 18 points on 6 of 13 shooting, and added four rebounds and two assists. Babalu Ugwu and Brenna Chase Drollinger also scored in the double digits with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Drollinger added five assists and three rebounds while Ugwu recorded five rebounds and a team-high four steals.

BYU women’s volleyball had four players named West Coast Conference All-Academic on Wednesday. Senior libero Mary Lake, senior outside hitter Riley Lyman and junior middle blocker Kennedy Eschenberg were placed on the All-Academic Team while senior setter Kiani Moea’i was named honorable mention.