PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball is on fire.
The Cougars just completed one of their most remarkable weeks in program history, securing wins over two Top 25 teams. This marks the first time since 1988 that BYU has achieved back-to-back victories against ranked opponents.
Such success, combined with a team peaking as March approaches, has drawn more national attention to BYU basketball.
Andy Katz Names BYU Basketball National Team of the Week
On Monday, Andy Katz of NCAA.com recognized BYU as the National Team of the Week. The Cougars dominated Kansas with a historic 34-point victory last Tuesday in Provo. They followed that up with a thrilling 96-95 win over Arizona in the McKale Center.
BYU’s record stands at 19-8 overall, with a 10-6 mark in Big 12 play.
In the past two weeks, BYU has been on fire, winning four straight games. The Cougars have claimed eight victories in their last 10 matchups.
Richie Saunders played a key role in BYU’s two wins, averaging 22.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals last week.
Solid Team Contributions
BYU’s success during this winning streak is also due to the balanced team effort from their expanded rotation.
In both wins over Kansas and Arizona, the Cougars had five players score in double figures.
Mawot Mag, a transfer from Rutgers, has stepped up in a starting role. He averaged 12 points last week, including five 3-pointers in the two wins. After posting a true shooting percentage of 46% last season at Rutgers, Mag has improved to 62.8% this year.
Other key contributors include Egor Demin, Dallin Hall, Keba Keita, and Trevin Knell.
Since their Saturday victory at Arizona, BYU has stayed in Arizona, preparing for a Wednesday night game against Arizona State in Tempe. The Cougars will return home on Saturday, March 1, to host West Virginia.
