NCAA Basketball: Buy or sell BYU, San Diego State, Belmont as Sweet 16 teams?

BYU Cougars – Buy

This is the last year that the Cougars can say they are a mid-major. BYU will be joining the Big 12 next season and will officially listed in the category of the Power 5. That doesn’t mean that the Cougars are not still one of the most consistent mid-major programs in the country, even without ever winning the West Coast Conference. The Cougars have not made the second weekend since the 2010-2011 season, but this team will likely change that.

Head coach Mark Pope has built BYU to a consistent contender for a tournament bid every year. They are now a team that a lot of power schools are not wanting to play for fear of getting beat. That is a nice place to be as a mid-major and the Cougars were able to turn that success into a better conference with better competition. Coach Pope has built his team around athletic big men who defend like crazy and has surrounded them with shooters. When BYU is at the top of their game, they can make a lot of threes quickly.

The defense is what is going to set BYU apart from the rest of the mid-majors as they don’t allow anything easy. They run teams off the three-point line, and when teams do finally get a look, they are not getting an open look from deep. The Cougars are physical inside the paint and are one of the best rebounding teams in the country. BYU has a ton of experience as three of their starters are upper classmen.

There is so much parity in the NCAA this year and there is not a single great team. Every team has some flaws and if BYU can get past the shooting woes, they have experienced in the first round of the last couple of tournaments they have a great chance to play in the second weekend.

A win over the top teams in the West Coast Conference, mainly Gonzaga, is going to help their seed line immensely. BYU is going to want to avoid the 8 and 9 line. They already have wins over two tournament teams in San Diego State and Oregon. Oregon should still make the tournament. The Cougars are a good team who is going to have to be placed in the Thursday and Saturday bracket which doesn’t give them as much flexibility as the other teams mentioned for seeding but they are still a dangerous team.

With their ability to defend and hit threes, especially from their point guard Alex Barcello I am giving them a rating of Buy. Winning in the NCAA tournament always comes down to who does the little things well and who can make a clutch three, free throw and get a rebound. Defense also plays a huge factor as it is never a good strategy to trade baskets with a higher-seeded team.

Give me a “Buy” for the Cougars to return to the second weekend for the first time under Mark Pope and for the first time since 2010-2011.