Provo » When it comes to self criticism, Alexis Kaufusi is brutally honest. She's also confident; definitely a coach's daughter.

"My biggest weakness, I tend to get lazy and don't look for teammates," said the redshirt freshman post for the BYU women's basketball team. "In high school, I used to do everything. I need to rely on my teammates more."

Kaufusi, a four-year letter winner and two-time All-State performer at Provo's Timpview High, also learned she couldn't rely on the same skill set that made her a successful high school player.

Now that Kaufusi is no longer the tallest, strongest or fastest player on the court, the work begins to build new skills on what is seen as great potential.

"She's our best low post player," said BYU coach Jeff Judkins said. But, "We need her to be aggressive."

After eight games, the 6-foot-1 inside presence has averaged 7 points and 6.1 rebounds as one of the first substitutes off the bench. This includes a double-double at Southern Utah.

Again, Kaufusi has had to learn how to sit after years of starting at Timpview. Her will, however, cannot be questioned.

Kaufusi has shown no lingering effects from a major knee injury that forced her to miss a major portion of her junior year at Timpview.

"Once she sets her mind on something, she'll do it," said Kaufusi's father Steve, who is BYU's offensive line coach. "We've been really happy for her. It's exciting to watch her play."

Dad was even more happy that his "little girl" chose to play for the Cougars instead of her first choice: Utah showed the most early interest. Eventually, Judkins offered a scholarship.

Still, the Utah ties were strong. Steve Kaufusi coached at Utah from 1994 to 2001. The move to BYU didn't immediately dim Alexis Kaufusi's desire to become a Ute. That took a few years.

"It was really hard," she said. "BYU felt right."

It was a good fit for family as well as social reasons.

"For our own selfish interests we wanted her to go to BYU," Steve said. "Being members of the Mormon faith, we thought it was important for her to be in an environment with those values. We'd be able to watch her play, at the same time giving her breathing room."

Often, daughter and father will meet in the football offices; maybe go to breakfast at nearby Legends Grill.

"I love that," he said. "For me, that's heaven."

When it came to making the final decision, however, the parents let the daughter make her own mind. Kaufusi was finally swayed by the tug of family.

"It was a hard transition at first," she said. "We were raised Ute fans. The first two years were weird because I knew all the [Utah] players and coaches."

Her brother, Bronson, a standout football player at Timpview, will also become a Cougar.

"He's 100 percent BYU," she said.

So is Alexis.

"This has been really good for me," she said. "From the first game to now, it's been getting easier and easier."

That can only be good news for BYU.

BYU's Kaufusi