BYU Basketball Faces Tough Challenge Against West Virginia

PROVO, Utah – Following a successful sweep of Arizona schools in the Big 12, BYU basketball coach Kevin Young is gearing up for a challenging matchup against West Virginia. The Cougars (20-8, 11-6) will host the Mountaineers (17-11, 8-9) on Saturday at 8 p.m. MST at the Marriott Center, marking their first-ever meeting in Provo.

Young subtly avoided commenting on the struggling Phoenix Suns, his former NBA team, but expressed his continued support for the franchise. “You gotta take care of business. West Virginia is really good,” he said, recalling a tough matchup in Morgantown where BYU secured a narrow 73-69 victory on Feb. 11.

Since a close overtime loss to Utah on Jan. 18, BYU has surged, winning nine of its last 11 games—including impressive victories against ranked teams like Kansas and Arizona. A key factor has been the Cougars’ improvement on offense, which now ranks 12th nationally in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Despite the offensive success, Young acknowledged the need for defensive improvement, particularly after allowing 81 points to a shorthanded Arizona State team. The upcoming game against West Virginia will pose a significant test, as the Mountaineers are known for their strong defense, holding opponents to just 64.1 points per game, a statistic that ranks them among the best in the nation.

“Our defense has to be better,” Young noted. “They have one of the most dynamic guards in the Big 12, Javon Small, who is coming off a really good game.” Small scored 23 points in West Virginia’s previous game against TCU, bolstering his average to 18.4 points per game, second in the conference behind UCF’s Keyshawn Hall.

Young reflected on BYU’s past defensive strategies against Small, who managed only nine points during their last matchup. “We did a good job against him up there,” Young said, anticipating that West Virginia will try different strategies to create scoring opportunities for Small.

The stakes are high for both teams as they look to enhance their standings in preparation for the Big 12 tournament. BYU currently sits tied for fourth place with No. 9 Iowa State, a position that could secure them a coveted double-bye in the conference tournament.

“It will be a tall task for us,” Young concluded, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming game. “We present a pick-your-poison problem. When the 3-ball is falling for us, we are a really hard team to defend.”