San Diego State vs. BYU: 2021-22 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
San Diego State travels to Provo to take on BYU in a game that will prove to be a resume builder for whoever comes away with the win. Who will come away with a key win in this early-season game?
TV Schedule: Friday, November 12, 9:00 PM ET, Check local listings
Arena: Marriott Center, Provo, Utah
On Friday night in Provo, we get a matchup between two teams that were picked to finish second in their respective conferences, each with strong post-season aspirations, yes, we are talking post-season in the first week of the season. When San Diego State (1-0) travels to take on BYU (1-0) it is likely to be one of the better non-conference games between mid-major teams this season and a win here could prove to be critical in building their at-large resume for March.
After finishing 23-5, Brian Dutcher’s Aztecs had a disappointing end to the season. They won the Mountain West conference tournament but were upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Syracuse in a game where they struggled with the Orange’s zone, shooting 10% less than their season averages both from three-point land and the field overall.
While San Diego State was picked to finish behind Colorado State in the Mountain West, they did garner seven first-place votes and the reason for optimism is this senior-laden team welcomes a major addition in Matt Bradley from California where he averaged 18 points and 4.6 rebounds last season.
Senior forward Nathan Mensah returns to anchor the frontcourt and those two certainly showed out in their season-opening win over UC-Riverside, Bradley had 23 points with Mensah adding eight points and 10 rebounds in the 66-53 win. Now comes a much tougher road test against the Cougars.
Much like their opponents, BYU had a successful season in 2021, with a trip to the NCAA Tournament, but with a disappointing ending, a first-round loss to Final Four bound UCLA. Like the Aztecs, BYU is senior-laden and the team had a bit of a scare early on when one of those seniors, big man Richard Harward went down early in the team’s exhibition with a knee injury and sat out the opener against Cleveland State on Tuesday.
Speaking of that opening-night 69-59 win, the senior backcourt of Te’Jon Lucas, who transferred from Milwaukee and Alex Barcello was dominant on both ends of the floor and got the offense flowing by dishing out six assists to go along with 29 points. Gideon George was joined by sophomore Caleb Lohner who added seven points and nine rebounds and could be a breakout star this season for Mark Pope’s team.
San Diego State has been one of the best defensive teams in the country under Dutcher and even with the addition of Bradley who should have a big impact on the Aztecs’ offense, the defense is going to be what they hang their hat on again this season. Against such an offensively efficient team such as BYU, the San Diego State interior defense against the Cougar forwards will be a big factor in this one.
The backcourt battle between the Aztecs’ Bradley and Trey Pulliam and BYU’s Barcello and Lucas will be most fascinating to me. But, the two biggest keys in this game will be how San Diego State handles the length of BYU, especially Lohner, Gideon George, Gavin Baxter, and Seneca Knight, and can San Diego State’s staunch defense, which should again be one of the tops in the country, slow down the efficient shot-making of the Cougars?
Next. Preseason Mountain West power rankings for 2020-21. dark
In the end, I think BYU figures out a way, with Lohner being a key component to come away with a close home win.
Prediction: BYU 71, San Diego State 64