BYU basketball: Ryan Andrus, Braiden Shaw done for season

BYU basketball’s post depth won’t improve too much this season, as head coach Dave Rose announced that Braiden Shaw and Ryan Andrus are both done for the season.

BYU basketball forwards Braiden Shaw and Ryan Andrus will miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season due to injuries.

Dave Rose made the announcement during his weekly media availability.

Shaw had played in just one game, checking in for one minute against the Portland Pilots on December 28, 2017. He did not record a statistic and registered one personal foul. The 6-foot-9 forward injured his ankle just before BYU basketball’s season opener against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils.

Last year, Shaw played in 31 games (two starts) and scored 1.4 points per night.

Shaw does have a redshirt available. According to KSL’s Sean Walker, the Cougars will seek a waiver from the NCAA to use it this season.

Andrus never played in a game this season, injuring his knee during the preseason. As a freshman during the 2014-15 season Andrus played in 21 games, averaging 1.9 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. He was expected to be a rotational post player for the Cougars, a guy that could provide some depth in the post.

Unfortunately, that won’t be the case for BYU basketball this season.

Kolby Lee, a surprise addition to the roster and former four-star recruit, likely won’t play for the Cougars this season. Rose told Walker that the plan is to redshirt him, but if more injuries occur things could change.

Luckily, it wasn’t all bad for the Cougars. There’s some good news as well.

Sophomore forward Dalton Nixon is close to returning. Nixon suffered a lower extremity injury earlier this season and hasn’t played since December 6. Getting him back will be a huge get for a Cougar team that’s lacking in depth.

Nixon is a gritty player with tons of hustle that the team has sorely missed.

BYU basketball takes on Loyola-Marymount on Thursday night.