BYU and Houston both look for their first quality win of the 2018-19 season. Which program has the talent edge heading into Saturday night?
TV schedule: Saturday, November 24, 6:00 pm ET. Check Local Listings
Arena: Marriott Center in Provo, Utah
After losing their opening game to start the season against No. 7 Nevada on the road, BYU (5-1) has won five straight games. The level of opponents (Utah Valley, Northwestern State, Oral Roberts, Alabama A&M, and Rice) haven’t been too imposing but progress continues to be made for the Cougar’s offense.
The team has increased their point total in each game this season, scoring a season-high 105 points in the last game against the Owls. As expected, Yoeli Childs has continued to improve as a junior, averaging a team-leading 20.7 ppg and 12.5 rpg.
But the two starting guards have arguably made the most improvement on the team. Junior Jashire Hardnett has doubled his scoring total in this early season, going for 12.7 ppg. His backcourt mate TJ Haws has provided the expected offense at 14.2 ppg but the 4.8 rpg and 5.5 apg have been welcomed surprises for BYU.
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They’ll look to continue the good play against another in need of competition. Houston (3-0) is unbeaten but has played`literally the same lackluster schedule to this point, beating Alabama A&M, Rice and Northwestern State.
With All-Conference player Robert Gray Jr. gone, junior guard Armani Brooks has taken over the scoring load for the Cougars, averaging 20 ppg. Senior Corey Davis has also impressed, going for 17.7 ppg. Galen Robinson Jr. once again has been facilitating the offense, dishing out 7.3 apg.
Neither team has much size on their respective rosters, so the battle of the bigs down low is key to the game. Houston will need senior forward Breaon Brady to play more than 16 mpg to guard Childs of BYU. He and 6’5 Cedrick Alley will provide the most resistance to him in the paint.
For BYU, they’ll need to slow down the other Cougars, as penetration from the perimeter has been an Achilles heel on the defensive end. With not much scoring expected from Houston’s frontcourt, slowing down both Brooks and Davis is important for the home team’s chances for victory.
With the AAC not having a banner year and any WCC team not named Gonzaga always struggling to get an at-large bid, this is a good opportunity for each team in the non-conference. BYU has traditionally struggled against athletic guards, a strong point for Houston. That should give them the edge in an entertaining bout.