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BYU Basketball: Gavin Baxter injury sinks NCAA Tournament hopes

By Tristan Freeman

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 03: Brigham Young Cougars mascot Cosmo the Cougar performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament against the San Diego Toreros at the Orleans Arena on March 3, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cougars won 85-79. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 03: Brigham Young Cougars mascot Cosmo the Cougar performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament against the San Diego Toreros at the Orleans Arena on March 3, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cougars won 85-79. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Gavin Baxter was supposed to be a key clog for BYU Basketball this upcoming season. Will the Cougars survive without him after the injury?

After a solid All-WCC freshman season, expectations rose for BYU Basketball forward Gavin Baxter. The 6’9 athlete showed promise in the ladder-half of last year once given more minutes, scoring double-digits four different times and going for a season-high 25 points and 10 rebounds against LMU in a conference battle.

The former top-100 recruit is the best NBA prospect on the team and plays above the rim. His offensive game still needs some polish but already is an above-average shot-blocking defender down low and can rebound at a good clip per 40 minutes. He and senior forward Yoeli Childs were supposed to form as potent a frontcourt duo any mid-major program could offer this upcoming season.

That won’t be coming into fruition anymore, with the news that a shoulder injury will keep Baxter out for most of, if not the entire 2019-20 NCAA Basketball season. Even if he’s able to make a return at some point in WCC play, his potential progression for this year has already been compromised. Unless the Cougars are right in the thick for an at-large spot near the end of the season, it’s better for all involved for Baxter to sit out and get a medical redshirt if he chooses.

As for this upcoming season, it looks to be a death blow in what’s been a series of tough recent news. Wing Zac Seljaas is out for the start of the season after breaking his foot during the team’s preseason foreign tour. Starting point guard TJ Haws had minor knee surgery – although his status is fine for the start of the year. Former double-digit scorer Nick Emery and the program has parted ways while the star of the team Childs is out for the first nine games of the campaign after issues involving his paperwork after declaring – then coming back from the NBA Draft.

And that’s where the absence of Baxter really hurts this team. Even with Childs averaging nearly 20 and 10 last year, BYU Basketball struggled on the boards and on the defensive end against teams with legit frontcourts. And that’s who they’ll be facing in the first half of the non-conference schedule, including a trip to the Maui Invitational. The Cougars will absolutely struggle inside to start things out, with just little-used big man Kolby Lee the only real frontcourt piece eligible to be used. Expect new head coach Mark Pope to use plenty of small-ball lineups in the early part of the campaign, including senior Dalton Nixon former WAC Player of the Year Jake Toolson at the power forward spot.

There is some hope behind the scenes that transfer forwards Wyatt Lowell and Richard Harward can receive waivers to play without sitting out. At 6’10 and 6’11 respectively, they could add much-needed size for the Cougars. But if the NCAA says no, there’s not much Coach Pope can do until Childs gets back. And even then, he’ll have to play around 35 mpg just to keep the team in contention against the better foes on the schedule.

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With Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s expected to be ranked in the preseason, BYU Basketball already was fighting an uphill battle to end the drought and make the NCAA Tournament this season. But with several players already injured/suspended, the Cougars postseason aspirations are in trouble before the opening tip. Baxter and his expected breakout campaign were supposed to tip the scales in the right direction but with him out now, it’s going the other way for the team.