BYU Basketball: 2018-19 keys for the Cougars to upset Gonzaga

RENO, NV - NOVEMBER 06: Head coach Dave Rose of the Brigham Young Cougars watches a playing during the game between the Nevada Wolf Pack and the Brigham Young Cougars at Lawlor Events Center on November 6, 2018 in Reno, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Devich/Getty Images) /

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RENO, NV – NOVEMBER 06: TJ Haws #30 of the Brigham Young Cougars has a talk with a referee during the game between the Nevada Wolf Pack and the Brigham Young Cougars at Lawlor Events Center on November 6, 2018 in Reno, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Devich/Getty Images) /

1. TJ Haws MUST have a big game

When Elijah Bryant departed last season, BYU needed another player to step up alongside Childs. That player has been TJ Haws, second on the team with 17.6 ppg, while also chipping in with 5.2 apg and 4.0 rpg. He has a career-high 34 points on the road at Pepperdine, while scoring in double-digits in all but three games this season.

While guard Jashire Hardnett will reportedly be coming back for this game, the Cougars have essentially relied on two players for the bulk of the team’s scoring in Haws and Childs. In Gonzaga sweeping BYU in three games last season, Bryant was held to poor games each time, limiting the Cougars’ chances to win those games. Mark Few has done a great job at slowing down the opposing team’s best guard and will heavily scout Haws for this game.

So fat this season, Haws’ performances have been a big factor in whether BYU wins or not. He struggled badly in the losses to Nevada, Mississippi State and Weber State and with Nick Emery not having an impact offensively, the junior guard will have to have 20+ to keep the Cougars in this game.

Haws has had success against Gonzaga in his career, including a 29-point performance at home in 2017, and 22 in the Kennel just last season. But that was when he wasn’t the highest priority for the Bulldogs defensively. We’ll see how he handles what Gonzaga throws at him.