BYU Basketball: 2019-20 keys to success against Utah State Aggies

BYU basketball will be out to prove themselves against in-state rival Utah State. What are the keys for the Cougars to get the win?

In what will be the final ever Zions Bank Beehive Classic contest, BYU Basketball (8-4) will take on the Utah State Aggies (10-1) on Dec. 14th. The game will be played at the Vivant Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City at 2:00 pm ET. Both teams are ranked in the top 50 of the KenPom rankings making for a highly anticipated matchup.

The Cougars’ season has seen success so far with wins over UCLA and at Houston.  BYU’s defeats include a 76-71 loss at home to #25 San Diego State, 71-56 to #2 Kansas in Maui, and a disappointing 102-95 overtime loss at Utah. The Aggies’ biggest win has been an 80-78 come-from-behind victory over LSU in Jamaica. Their lone loss was at St. Mary’s 81-73.

Utah State was picked to win the Mountain West Conference in that conference’s preseason media poll and are the Cougars’ biggest test before opening conference play on Jan. 4 at home against Loyola Marymount. A win over the Aggies should prove that BYU is the biggest threat, along with St. Mary’s, to dethrone Gonzaga this season in the West Coast Conference.

To do so, BYU must excel in the following areas.

Guard Play

The BYU offense is led by point guard T.J. Haws.  The senior is averaging 12.4 points to go along with 4.3 assists per game.  Haws struggled in the loss at Utah in which he scored just five points with five turnovers before fouling out after 26 minutes of play.  He has tended to turn the ball over against stiffer competition and will need to take care of the ball against the defense of Utah’s State Abel Porter.

Alex Barcello, a junior transfer from Arizona, has stepped in nicely at the other guard spot.   Barcello is a favorable matchup against sophomore Brock Miller.

The Cougars should have the advantage in the backcourt against Utah State. Provided BYU can limit the turnovers.

Outside Shooting

Sam Merrill is the reigning conference Player of the Year and leads the Aggies with 17.7 ppg. He is 22 for 48 (45.8%) from beyond the arc in ten games. Although Merrill did not play in Tuesday’s win over St. Katherine due to illness, he is expected to be back against the Cougars and BYU will need to keep him under control.  Miller has hit 25 for 79 (31.6%).

That matchup should go to 6’5 forward Jake Toolson. Toolson is a graduate transfer from Utah Valley, where he played under BYU coach, Mark Pope. He brings his own shooting prowess, going 29 for 66 (43.9%) on three-pointers.  Meanwhile, Haws is chipping in 22 for 62 (35.5%).

The Toolson and Haws tandem give the Cougars the edge in three-point land.  BYU have been controlling opponent’s threes.  Whether they can do that in this game on Saturday will go a long way in determining the outcome.

Inside Play

After being suspended for the first nine games of the season, 6’8 senior Yoeli Childs has provided the Cougars some needed help inside. Childs is leading the team with 18.7 ppg and 11.3 rebounds in the three games since he has returned in just 25 minutes per game played.   He also can be an intimidating shot blocker.

Childs will match up against the Aggies’ 6’7 redshirt-sophomore, Justin Bean.  Bean has come into his own this year, after blossoming last March. He is the second-leading scorer for Utah State at 14.7 ppg to with 12.0 rebounds. A lot of those points are on second chances as Bean is averaging almost five offensive rebounds a game.

For BYU to defeat Utah State, the Cougars will need to rule the paint.  Haws also has to minimize the turnovers while he and Toolson take the edge in three-pointers. This game should go down to the wire, but the Cougars can come out with a big win that would help the selection committee determine who, besides Gonzaga, might represent the WCC at the big dance.