BYU basketball: How the Cougars can be a NCAA Tournament team in 2017-18

Even with the loss of Eric Mika, BYU basketball can improve on their 2016-17 win total with four key improvements for 2017-18.

• 22 wins.
• NIT berth.
• Upset the No. 1 team in the nation on their own home court.
• Disappointing.

All of those statements describe last year’s BYU basketball squad in the minds of most fans. It was the Cougars’ second straight year missing out on the NCAA Tournament, littered with head-scratching losses that have become the calling card of the WCC era for BYU basketball.

Expectations were sky-high going into the season. It was first year of the much-hyped Lone Peak Three, with Eric Mika and TJ Haws returning from missions to suit up alongside Nick Emery.

But if you’re BYU basketball, you don’t lose at home to UVU, on the road at San Diego, Santa Clara, and Pepperdine, and get run out of the Orleans Arena by 31 points at the hands of St. Mary’s.

Not if you want to call it a successful season.

Then, to top it all off, the Cougars lose Mika, their leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker to the NBA Draft.

There will be a lot less hype going into 2017-18. Most expect to see fewer than last year’s 22 wins.

That won’t necessarily be the case. With a few adjustments and improvements, the Cougars can play themselves right back into the NCAA Tournament discussion.