BYU Basketball Secure NCAA Tournament Spot After Victory Over Arizona State
Dallin Hall drives against Arizona State
The start of BYU basketball’s season did not meet expectations. The Cougars struggled early on, with conference losses to Utah and TCU, along with a humiliating defeat to Providence in the non-conference portion of the schedule.
Key players for BYU were underperforming, and Kevin Young’s new system hadn’t clicked with the team yet. The Cougars’ NBA prospects, Demin and Catchings, were unable to find their rhythm as competition ramped up. As a first-year head coach, Young was struggling to make the team gel right away, which led many to doubt the team’s chances for an NCAA Tournament berth.
What a difference a few weeks make.
Riding a five-game win streak, BYU has now defeated Kansas State, West Virginia, Kansas, Arizona, and Arizona State at the most critical time in the season. Once criticized for lacking quality victories, the Cougars now boast four quad one wins and have become an offensive juggernaut, averaging 92.6 points over their last three games.
The Cougars surpassed 90 points in all three of those games.
The surge in performance has propelled the team into the top 25 for the first time this season.
Their latest victory, a dominant road win over Arizona State, marked their second double-digit victory over the Sun Devils, further cementing their place in the college basketball landscape. BYU is now widely considered a lock for the NCAA Tournament, regardless of their remaining three regular-season games.
However, with those final three contests, BYU will need to finish strong to enhance their chances of securing a more favorable first-round matchup. A Sunday loss could hurt their seeding, but a road win at Iowa State, coupled with wins over West Virginia and Utah, would elevate this team even further.
