Judging by jokes in sports radio shows and various social media sites, there could be a feeling among Byu basketball fans that cougars do not do as well this year compared to the last.
It is perhaps because of these losses of eruption in Providence and Houston. Or maybe it is because Byu lost to an extension point against a mediocre team from Utah during the first of the two rivalry clashes this year.
The reality is that Byu, 15-6 in total and 6-4 in the Big 12, is better this year, although it is not currently classified. Halfway through their 18-game championship calendar last year, the cougars were 4-5, a match below 0.500.
The gigantic victory on Saturday 93-89 at the UCF pushed Byu two games above .500 halfway from their 20-game conference calendar this winter.
Byu is now tied in fifth row with Kansas and Baylor after being chosen to finish ninth in the League.
The first victory on the cougars road “was really tall”, according to coach Kevin Young. “We know where we are in our season. We let a few games spend early in the year we felt like we were there for us, and our guys stayed the course. We know that we have work to do and it was a step in the right direction for that against a good team that is well trained. »»
By coincidence, Byu equaled to Kansas for fifth place in Big 12 last year and obtained the seeded n ° 5 in the Big 12 tournament because of its 76-68 victory against the no. 7 Jayhawks in Phog Allen Fieldhouse.
Byu’s goal is now to win as many Quad 1 games as possible to strengthen its curriculum vitae from the NCAA tournament “and climb in the standings. The eight best finish in the regular season have shot deadlines in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.
The cougars clicked on several boxes during their sequence of four consecutive victories, defeating the Colorado on the road, pierced with a victory up close to overtime against Baylor at home, then winning a tight match on the road to the UCF.
“This (winning on UCF) means that we have learned certain things. We have lost heart breaks where it was the same thing again and again, “said the Byu Richie Saunders wing after marking a 22 -point top in 29 minutes against the Knights.
“Things did not go in our direction and we did not finish (games). It just shows that we learn and continue to grow and learn as a team. We have lost big ones, but we learned to close close matches, especially on the road. We are super happy.
The cougars are also super deep.
The guys who would probably start in most teams in the country – such as veterans Fousseyni Traore, Dallin Hall and Dawson Baker – leave the bench and make important contributions.
Even the senior goalkeeper Trey Stewart, who was constantly being in Mark Pope’s dog house last year, helps. Stewart played eight minutes of exceptional defense on Saturday, blocking a gunshot and also warming a decisive pass.
Traore, meanwhile, went 4 out of 6 on the field and made a frank throw for nine points.
“We just have a lot of disinterested players,” said the graduate transfer Mawot Mag to Byu Sports Radio Network after having scored a 19 -point summit.
“Everyone can shoot. We try to spray it. We have large shooters. Trevin Knell, Dallin Hall, Richie, the whole team can shoot. We play very disinterested basketball and let the game come to us. »»
Byu is n ° 34 in the net ranking and n ° 31 in Kenpom.com after the victory over the UCF, but that does not become easier now. The cougars welcome Arizona (15-6, 9-1) at the Marriott Center on Tuesday evening in a confrontation of two of the hottest teams in the league.
The Wildcats have a net ranking of 11 and a note from Kenpom.com of 12 after a victory of 81-72 against the Arizona State in Temple on Saturday. Obviously, it is a quadru 1 opportunity and a huge match, for both teams.
“I said to the guys from the locker room: don’t be too high, don’t be too low. … We were supposed to win, so it is good to kiss her, ”said Mag. “It’s now time to move on and prepare for Arizona on Tuesday and win this one.”
Cougars in the air
Arizona (15-6, 9-1) in Byu (15-6, 6-4)
Tuesday, 9 p.m.
At the Marriott Center
Provo, utah
TV: ESPN
Radio: byu Radio 107.9 FM / byuradio.org / byu Radio Application
(Tagstranslate) Cougars
