Cougs Daily

BYU Basketball vs Providence: Cougars Take on Friars in Big East Battle

Talmage Morgan

Denis Poroy, Associated Press
In this story:

On Tuesday, BYU will make their first trip east this season to take on a 5-3 team from the Big East conference. Who would've thought that at this point in the season we could be describing both Providence and UConn?

While UConn may not be living up to preseason expectations, the Cougars certainly are. Fresh off a Rady Children's Invitational tournament win in San Diego, the Cougars are looking to get their 7th win on the road against the Friars.

Who are the Friars?

Providence started the season 5-0, but lost their next three straight in the Battle 4 Atlantis to finish dead last. The three losses came at the hands of Oklahoma, Davidson, and Indiana. The Friars will be looking to get a win at home to get things back on track.

While only ranked 94th in KenPom, the big storyline for Tuesday's game will be the return of the Friars' best player, Bryce Hopkins. BYU is heavily favored in this game if he does not return, but if he does, things could get a little more interesting.

Things to watch out for:

Home court advantage. Providence's home court, called "The Dunk", is known by Big East opponents to be a hard environment to play in, much less come out with a win.

Physicality and rebounding. Look for the Friars to challenge Fouss and Keita down low. The Cougars need to be ready to play hard and match Providence's energy.

Why BYU wins this game:

While Hopkins' return could keep things competitive, it's unlikely that he will be playing at 100%. Plus, if the Friars' chance at victory rests completely on him, the Cougars will have a game plan ready to shut him down. BYU is a much deeper team. This should be a chance for BYU to get a solid win on the east coast before a weeklong break.

The Cougars have already gotten some practice in since arriving in Rhode Island:

Published
Talmage Morgan
TALMAGE MORGAN

Home/Basketball