BYU Basketball: 2019-20 keys to beating Saint Mary's Gaels on the road

BYU Basketball: 2019-20 keys to beating Saint Mary’s Gaels on the road

By Andy Patton | Jan 7, 2020

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 05: Jordan Ford #30 of the Saint Mary's Gaels guards TJ Haws #30 of the Brigham Young Cougars during a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 5, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cougars won 85-72. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 27: Landers Nolley II #2 of the Virginia Tech Hokies takes a jump shot over Dalton Nixon #33 of the BYU Cougars (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

Defend the Perimeter

This game will be determined behind the three-point line.

BYU is currently holding opponents to a dismal 28.2 percent mark from beyond the arc, the 28th best percentage in all of college hoops.

That will be put to the test in a major way on Thursday however, as the Gaels are shooting a blistering 42.9 percent from downtown, the top mark in all of college basketball.

So the winner of this game will be determined by whether BYU can continue their strong perimeter defense by forcing St. Mary’s into a poor shooting night and cleaning up on the defensive glass.

If Jordan Ford (41.3 percent) Tanner Krebs (43.6) and Tommy Kuhse (47.6) are all able to get clean looks, this one could get away from the Cougars.

Of course, BYU themselves are the ninth-best outside shooting team in the country, at 39.8 percent, so they could try to get into a shootout with the Gaels.

If that’s the case, key number two will become even more crucial to secure a BYU victory: