BYU basketball’s season didn’t begin the way many had hoped or expected. The Cougars started slowly, with early conference losses to Utah and TCU, along with a painful blowout loss to Providence in the non-conference games.

BYU’s key players were struggling, and Kevin Young’s new system had yet to take hold with his team. Demin and Catchings, the Cougars’ two NBA prospects, couldn’t find their rhythm when the competition intensified. As a first-year head coach, Young couldn’t get his team to click early on, and as a result, many considered them unworthy of NCAA Tournament contention.

How much things have changed since then.

On the heels of a five-game winning streak, the Cougars have defeated Kansas State, West Virginia, Kansas, Arizona, and Arizona State at a crucial time in their season. Just a few weeks ago, they were criticized for not having any quality wins, but now BYU boasts four quad-one victories and has been playing at an offensive level that has seen them average 92.6 points over their last three games.

In those contests, they surpassed the 90-point mark each time.

That much-needed positivity boost has indeed arrived, with Kevin Young’s squad breaking into the top 25 for the first time this season.

Their latest victory (a dominant road win against Arizona State) was their second double-digit victory over the Sun Devils, solidifying their place among college basketball’s elite. With this performance, they are now considered a lock for the NCAA Tournament, regardless of what happens in their final three games.

However, those final three games are crucial, as BYU needs strong performances to improve their chances of earning a better first-round matchup. Playing on Sunday may hurt their seeding, but a road win against Iowa State (if they can pull it off), along with wins over West Virginia and Utah, would elevate this team significantly.