It is clear that most of the nonconference slate was essentially just an opportunity for these kids to dip their toes in the water of college basketball and get accustomed to playing within KY's system and alongside this group of teammates. Well now they've been playing games for two months and have faced a few real teams. A few thoughts on their development thus far:

Kanon:
I will admit, after the first few games I wasn't sure Kanon would be able to play big minutes in conference play. He was a ball stopper on offense and he really had trouble playing within the offensive system. Defensively he was decent on the ball and protecting the rim, but as a team defender he was completely lost. Clearly he had the physical tools to succeed but he had a long way to go to earn a significant role on a quality Big-12 team. Fortunately, Kanon has come a long way. He has really learned to play within the system offensively. He has focused on catch & shoot opportunities where he is most efficient and he has learned to attack quickly instead of trying to play 1-on-1. Honestly, I'd actually like to see him do this a little more, especially in games like Houston where the offense is bogged down. A couple of the bright spots offensively against Houston were Kanon with a rhythm 3 and then driving baseline & stopping on a dime for a beautiful little step back jumper. Obviously you want the system to produce as many points as possibly, but as games get uglier and more physical in conference play allowing a guy who is an individual mismatch against most defenders to carry you for a bit is a nice piece to have in your back pocket. Defensively he has also improved in terms of at least being in the right spots to be a team defender and playing with energy, but the reality is that he's got a ways to go in that area.

Egor:
We all saw Egor's talent through the first month of the season, there is no denying he is unbelievably skilled for a kid his size. But I think he got a false sense of the level of play in college basketball while BYU was facing all those cupcakes in nonconference play. The lack a true physical lockdown on-ball perimeter defender on BYU's roster meant he didn't see that type of player at all in practice or in games until Providence. He really shined when he had the space to operate and didn't have to worry about significant ball pressure. Well, now he is in his real development stage and he has to recalibrate. And BYU's prospects as a team this year are heavily reliant on Egor learning to deal with that physicality and having the game slow down for him again. Right now his misses are bad and he is turning the ball over at a high rate, which means his head is spinning as he catches up to the speed and physicality of the game. He needs to simply focus on two things: make the simple play and get to the rim. Obviously you want him to play within the system, but until defenses are more worried about him as a scoring threat in the paint, they will continue to overplay passing lanes. His mentality coming off every ball screen should be that he is going to force his way to the paint and dunk on someone's head until someone stops him. As he imposes his will getting to the rim the rest of the floor will open up and he'll have more opportunities to facilitate, which is what he really wants to do. Defensively, he isn't active enough considering his size and athleticism. He is mostly in the right spots and his length is an issue for shooters but he needs to play with active hands and be disruptive. He has seen how disruptive defense has impacted his own game, so he needs to return the favor.