PROVO — Senior forward Mekeli Wesley calls BYU's 80-52 loss at Arizona State last Saturday the worst he's had in his four years as a Cougar.
"We were taken in back of the woodshed and given a whuppin'," Wesley said.
That's one way of putting it. BYU shot 25 percent and was trampled under the weight of a 60-13 run by the Sun Devils.
"In my 24 years of coaching, I haven't had an experience like that before," said coach Steve Cleveland. "There's no shame in losing, but we have to learn to compete on every single possession. I'm more concerned about how the team reacts in times of adversity."
He'll find out tonight when the Cougars (2-2) host Florida International (2-5) at 7.
Cleveland has had some heartfelt talks with his team since Saturday's disaster and is making some minor adjustments to his offense.
Still, he knows the best way to turn things around is to start making shots. Wesley and guard Terrell Lyday have made a combined 14-of-60 attempts from the floor in the last two games. Not coincidentally, BYU lost both games.
"Maybe I'm not concentrating on every shot," said Lyday, who adds that he's never gone through a slump like this before. This week, he has been spending extra time on his shooting stroke. "I'll get my shot back," he promised.
While the Cougars must rely on seniors like Lyday and Wesley, especially early in the season, Cleveland says other players need to start playing to their potential.
"Terrell is feeling pressure, that he and Mekeli have to carry this team," he said. "But this is everybody's team. Everybody has to step up."
Florida International, like BYU, has been struggling. It lost to at St. Bonaventure last weekend, 91-65. The Cougars defeated the Golden Panthers, 83-75, on the road last year in overtime. "Florida International is the most athletic team we played last year," Cleveland said.
The Golden Panthers return two starters from that team — guard Carlos Arroyo, who averaged 22 points a game, and 6-foot-9 center Karel Rosario, who averages 14 points and six rebounds per contest.
Lyday thinks being back in the Marriott Center will help his team's cause. "We need to come out strong early and let (Florida International) know this is our game," he said.
"We need to go out and show what we're made of," Wesley said. "When you face adversity, you either have to overcome it or succumb to it. We want to overcome it."
The Cougars will travel to Houston Friday for a matchup with Rice at the Compaq Center on Saturday.
E-MAIL: jeffc@desnews.com