Four Keys to a BYU Basketball Win Over Duquesne

The Cougars take on the Dukes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

On Thursday, BYU basketball takes on the Duquesne Dukes in the NCAA Tournament. Here are four keys to a BYU win.

1. Create Second Chances

BYU has been one of the best teams in the country at creating second chances this season. It's an important aspect of BYU's data-driven approach: creating more opportunities hedges the risk of a poor shooting performance.

As a result, the Cougars crash the boards hard on every possession. Creating second chances would be one of the best ways to counter Duquesne's feisty defense.

Duquesne has struggled on the defensive boards this season. The Dukes allow offensive rebounds on 30% of rebound attempts - that ranks 222nd in the country. BYU grabs offensive rebounds at one of the highest rates in the country at 33%.

This is a mismatch that BYU must take advantage of. 

2. Protect the Basketball

Duquesne is not a prolific offensive team. The Dukes rank 164th in offensive efficiency per KenPom. They hang their hat on their defense.

The Cougars can't allow the Dukes to turn defense into offense on Thursday - they must take care of the basketball and force Duquesne to work for its points. Live-ball turnovers, in particular, are something to watch in this game. Duquesne ranks in the top 50 nationally in turnovers forced.

If Dallin Hall and BYU can limit the turnovers to 10 or less, they will have a great chance to win this game. 

3. Shoot 30% From Three

BYU has not lost a game in which it shoots 34% or better from three. To secure a victory in this game, BYU will need to shoot at least 30% from three. The Cougars are 0-7 when they shoot less than 30% from three.

4. Dictate the Tempo on Offense

Duquesne is one of the best defensive teams in the country. The Dukes rank 29th in defensive efficiency on KenPom. They get back in transition, slow the game down, and force teams to operate out of a half-court offense.

Duquesne ranks 310th in average possession length on defense. Translation: they slow the game way down and force opponents to work late into the shot clock.

BYU likes to push to ball up the court to create open looks before the defense can get completely set. The Cougars rank 59th in average tempo on offense.

BYU must dictate the tempo of this game on offense. If they do and the shots start to fall at an average clip, Duquesne will have a hard time keeping up.

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