Busting Brackets
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BYU Basketball: 2017-18 season preview for the Cougars

By Tristan Freeman

SPOKANE, WA - FEBRUARY 25: The BYU Cougars celebrate their 79-71 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 25, 2017 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA - FEBRUARY 25: The BYU Cougars celebrate their 79-71 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 25, 2017 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /
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SPOKANE, WA – FEBRUARY 25: The BYU Cougars celebrate their 79-71 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 25, 2017 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA – FEBRUARY 25: The BYU Cougars celebrate their 79-71 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center on February 25, 2017 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

Although a down season for BYU basketball last year, they did knock off Gonzaga. What do the Cougars have in store for the 2017-18 season?

Since moving to the WCC, the Cougars have failed to win either a regular season and conference tournament title. With Gonzaga and St. Mary’s in the conference, BYU basketball has been sitting just behind the driver’s seat in the conference since they joined.

Last season was supposed to be different, though. It was the first year of the “Lone Peak 3” comprised of Eric Mika, TJ Haws, and Nick Emery. The trio led Lone Peak High School in Utah to a national championship, and all three committed to BYU.

After serving individual missions, the three were set to take the court in an effort to return to the days of “Jimmermania,” where BYU became a fun team to watch. The question wasn’t going to be if, but when they would move past the Zags to win the West Coast Conference titles.

Unfortunately, last season did not end with the Cougars on top. The defense was awful at times, losing games to teams inferior to them. The worst loss was at home to Utah Valley, where a couple of former BYU players came back and help dropped over 100 points on them.

While the big win on the road at the end of the regular season against the #1 team in the nation and previously undefeated Gonzaga was a huge moment for the program, getting swept in three games against the St. Mary’s was deflating

The player who was their MVP, Eric Mika, decided to go pro after the year, leaving a gaping hole down low. With the bench all but gone via graduation and transfers, a whole new crop of players will be coming in.

Let’s take a look at BYU’s upcoming season, and whether they have enough to challenge the top two in the WCC.