Sports
National Media Reacts to BYU Basketball’s 6-0 Start – Vanquish The Foe
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After being picked to finish 13th in the Preseason Big 12 basketball poll, BYU is one of the surprise teams in the first month of the college basketball season. With a 6-0 record that includes wins over San Diego State, Arizona State, NC State and a top 10 KenPom ranking, national media is beginning to take notice of the Cougars. BYU also leads the nation in point differential (+32.1) and three-pointers made per game (13). The Cougars will almost certainly be ranked when the AP Top 25 poll is released Monday.
Below are some of the reactions from national pundits.
“Have you been paying attention to BYU? If not, you should.
The Cougars are 6-0 with a nine-point win over San Diego State, a nine-point win over NC State and 28-point win over Arizona State. More interesting than that is the fact that if you remove all preseason bias at BartTorvik.com, BYU is ninth in adjusted offensive efficiency, eighth in adjusted defensive efficiency and the only school ranked in the top 10 of both categories despite Big 12 coaches projecting the Cougars in the preseason to finish 13th in the 14-school league.
Something has to give.
Simply put, there’s no way a team can finish in the bottom half of any league performing at this level. So BYU will either eventually regress or wildly exceed all preseason expectations. Odds are, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Either way, for now, BYU is No. 25 in the Top 25 And 1 and on track to make the NCAA Tournament for the second time in a four-year span under fifth-year coach Mark Pope.”
BYU emerges as the sleeper team in the Big 12
“The Cougars were picked 13th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, but they definitely don’t look like they’re going to finish there. BYU is currently 6-0 with two wins over power conference opponents in addition to a home triumph over San Diego State. It will play six of its final seven non-conference games in Provo and could conceivably begin Big 12 play in January at 12-1 or 13-0. Mark Pope’s team possesses great balance as seven different players are averaging between 9.5 points and 15.3 points. BYU is also currently shooting 38.6 percent from three-point range as a team and has assisted on 130 out of 197 of its made field goals this season.”
UPDATED GOODMAN TOP 25
1 Purdue
2 Arizona
3 Marquette
4 Duke
5 Houston
6. UConn
7 Kansas
8 Miami
9 Baylor
10 Tennessee
11 Gonzaga
12 Kentucky
13 BYU
14 Colorado State
15 Creighton
16 Villanova
17 North Carolina
18 James Madison
19 FAU
20 Texas A&M
21 San Diego State
22 Clemson…
The Big 12 getting unexpected mileage out of BYU is a major storyline.
Coogs are 6-0 after tonight’s win over NC State in Vegas.
Could conceivably enter conference play at 12-1 or 13-0. https://t.co/ScqdrZYzqx
BYU being a wagon is one of the more random but impressive storylines of the year. Playing so well on both ends of the floor. Hyper-efficient offense, crushing the glass, great perimeter D. Top-10 on KenPom and will enter December unbeaten.
Manageable December schedule too.
Mark Pope hasn’t forgotten how to box out.
Also, BYU might just be awesome this year? Don’t look where they’re ranked in KenPom right now … https://t.co/tEEdSue8HG
VERY impressive second half eruption from BYU. Cougars scored 57 points after intermission to beat NC State 95-86. I ranked em last week, will do it again on Monday.
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