BYU Basketball: 2019-20 keys for game at Gonzaga Bulldogs

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Killian Tillie #33 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs comes up with a loose ball against Dalton Nixon #33 of the Brigham Young Cougars during the championship game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs won 74-54. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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PROVO, UT – FEBRUARY 02: Nigel Williams-Goss #5 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs shoots against Yoeli Childs #23 of the Brigham Young Cougars (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

1. BYU is used to playing without Yoeli Childs

The Cougars have now played twelve games this season without Yoeli Childs playing in the post. Childs missed the first nine games of the season due to an NCAA suspension. BYU has now played three since his injury.

Early speculation last weekend was that Childs would miss one to four weeks and they were hopeful he might be available against Gonzaga. However, coach Mark Pope said Tuesday, “They’re estimating maybe seven to ten days from now, but it might not be that. It might be two weeks or whatever.”

Granted, Yoeli Childs is the Cougars’ best player this season. He is averaging 20.9 ppg and 10.1 rpg in less than 29 minutes. However, BYU has had success in his absence and is a confident club.

With Childs, BYU is 6-1. The only loss was to Utah, 102-95 in overtime, in the first game Childs played this season. Without him, the Cougars are 7-4 and almost came away with a win on Saint Mary’s home floor.

6’9 240-pound sophomore Kolby Lee has been reinserted into the starting lineup. Lee will join 6’7 215-pound senior Dalton Nixon on the front line. Lee is averaging 7.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg in 18.5 minutes of play, while Nixon brings 8.3 ppg and 5.2 rpg in 24.7 minutes.

Beyond that, the Cougars have no one else on the roster that stands taller than 6’8. 6’7 215-pound senior Zac Seljaas will see more playing time off the bench. Seljaas is a gritty, high-energy player averaging 7.1 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 19.2 minutes.