BYU basketball: Revenge Week begins for the Cougars
By Shaun Gordon
Pacific Tigers
Each season the Cougars tend to lose at least one game in conference that they were heavily favored to win.
This year’s version (so far) has been Pacific.
In the first matchup between the two teams, the Cougars were favored by 6.5 on the road. Instead, they left Stockton with their second loss in WCC play.
The Tigers knocked off the Cougars 67-66, led by 22 points from Jahlil Tripp. They managed to keep the BYU offense off-balance all night, especially succeeding in holding Yoeli Childs in check.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Pacific guards routinely beat their Cougar counterparts off the dribble, getting into the lane and creating easy shots. The Tigers shot 52 percent from the field, including a 75 percent shooting clip in the last five minutes of the game.
The victory over the BYU has propelled Pacific forward, as the win began a four-game winning streak. That streak was snapped on Saturday against St. Mary’s, but they gave the Gaels a run for their money, losing a 72-69 nailbiter.
The Tigers currently sit at 5-3 in the WCC, one game and one spot behind BYU. A win over the Cougars would propel them into third place and continue a strong late-season run by a team that’s just beginning to hit their stride.
What do the Cougars need to do to avoid a second mauling by the Tigers?
First, move the ball on offense. Too often against the Tigers, especially down the stretch, the ball movement that has defined this BYU basketball offense was missing. There was too much dribbling and standing, not enough passing, and the Cougars only managed 11 assists for the game.
Second, BYU has to play better on-ball defense. They can’t get beaten off the dribble as often as they did in the first matchup, or the Tigers will be just as efficient offensively and create nightmares for the Cougars.
This showdown on Saturday night will feature two teams playing their best basketball of the season, and fans should pack the Marriott Center to help the Cougars come out on top.