Busting Brackets
Fansided

WCC Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2020-21 season

By Connor Gilbert

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Mark Pope of the BYU Cougars applauds his players as he calls in a play during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 26, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Mark Pope of the BYU Cougars applauds his players as he calls in a play during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 26, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /
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LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 27: The BYU Cougars bench (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 27: The BYU Cougars bench (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

2. BYU

Last season: 24-8 (13-3), 2nd place

BYU fans will mourn the lost postseason as one of the Cougar’s best chances to make a meaningful run since they joined the conference in 2012. In his first year as head coach, Mark Pope transformed BYU into an offensive force that could shoot any team into submission. Last year, BYU had its highest offensive efficiency ranking on KenPom in program history — the Cougars torched opponents for nearly 80 points a game while shooting 42.3% from three.

The Cougars will lose their three leading scorers in Jake Toolson, T.J. Haws and Yoeli Childs, but landing Purdue transfer Matt Haarms is the best thing that could happen in the offseason for Pope. He’s one of the best shot-blockers and rim-protectors in the college game and was widely regarded as the best available player in the transfer market. As the only senior on the team other than Alex Barcello, his experience and leadership will come at a premium.

“When he was in the game at Purdue, their field goal percentage defense at the rim went from 49% when he was in the game to giving up 59% when he was out of the game. That is staggering,” Pope said to Deseret News after Haarms committed to BYU over Texas Tech and Kentucky. “That’s on a team with depth. He obviously has a huge impact at the rim. We think that he can really, really shoot the ball (from 3). He has a really pure stroke. He shot 30% as a sophomore and 31% as a junior.”

Haarms will help fill the void left by Childs at the rim and on the boards, and with point guard and high-percentage shooter Jesse Wade available after sitting out a year, the Cougars can try to replicate their shooting success from last year with another skilled big man under the rim.