BYU Basketball: ESPN predicts a much improved Cougar team in 2018-19

ESPN released their preseason BPI for the upcoming college basketball season, and they’re predicting a much improved BYU Basketball team.

Last season, BYU Basketball finished right about where they were expected to: 20+ wins, third in the West Coast Conference, and an NIT berth.

They finished 65th in RPI and 82nd in ESPN’s BPI. Another good season, but not a great one.

Then, in the offseason the Cougars lost Elijah Bryant, who was arguably their second-best player. The senior-to-be decided to forego his senior season and turn pro.

Doesn’t sound like a recipe for vast improvement, right? But ESPN thinks BYU will be much better in 2018-19.

The network recently released their preseason BPI rankings, and they have the Cougars at 32nd. That’s a 50-spot jump for a team that lost their best perimeter scorer.

According to ESPN, the preseason BPI uses the following to determine their rankings:

• Quality of returning players
• Quantity of returning players
• Recruiting rankings
• Coaches’ past offensive and defensive performance

The Cougars certainly have the quantity part down. BYU didn’t have a senior on the team last year, so their only real loss is Bryant.

Quality is another story. Losing Bryant almost certainly dropped them in this category, although they bring back Yoeli Childs and TJ Haws. Plus, the return of Nick Emery would fit into this category as well.

The recruiting rankings will certainly boost BYU’s standing. They’ll bring in a trio 4-Star freshmen in Gavin Baxter, Connor Harding, and Kolby Lee. All three newcomers will have a chance to contribute right away.

Looking at Dave Rose’s past offensive and defensive performances, it likely helped raise the Cougars’ BPI slightly. Rose has fielded elite offensive teams and solid defensive ones, although the past few years haven’t produced the same results.

Overall, it’s not surprising that ESPN predicts that the Cougars will improve in 2018-19. It is surprising that they predict so much improvement, and that they see BYU as one of the Top 35 teams in the nation.

Let’s hope the Cougars can justify that ranking on the court this winter.