BYU will face off against Arizona for its second matchup against a ranked team this week. Hopefully, the Cougars are able to carry some of the momentum from its historic victory against Kansas on Tuesday into this rematch against the No. 19 ranked Arizona Wildcats.
In the last meeting...
BYU and Arizona have played once already this season, an 85-74 win for the Wildcats on February 4th. That game was the first of two disappointing losses for the Cougs before their current three-game win streak.
BYU's inability to stop guards Caleb Love and Jaden Bradley, who scored a combined 35 points, was a major factor in the loss. They will have to do better on that front should they hope to win today.
Arizona also shot 8-21 from beyond the arc in the Marriott Center, with many of those shots coming in critical moments down the stretch.
Keys to the Game
1. Slow the Love
Caleb Love and Jaden Bradley are an extremely talented backcourt duo. They can both shoot with efficiency, beat defenders off the dribble, and create for their teammates. BYU will have to slow down at least one of these two (ideally both) to have a chance for this one.
I anticipate seeing a little bit more of Trey Stewart in this one, thanks to his recent play and defensive ability. I believe Coach Young may look to him if either of these guards gets going.
2. Protect the Perimeter
BYU did an excellent job of this against Kansas earlier this week, holding the Jayhawks to just 28% from three-point land. (Although Kansas is the worst three-point shooting team in the Big 12.)
After an absolute heater of 38% for Arizona in Provo earlier this month, they have gone on to shoot 30%, 9%, 21%, and 22% in their last four games on a combined 76 attempts.
BYU is going to have to protect the perimeter and force Arizona to take tough shots.
3. Let Keba Cook
Many folks are worried about Arizona's star center Henri Veesaar, who had 17 points off the bench in the first game. I think that Keba Keita has finally gotten his legs underneath him.
In the past two games, he has shut down some excellent post players, but most notably Kansas' Hunter Dickinson. The preseason All-American candidate tallied just 12 points on 5-13 shooting.
I hope that we get to see some of Keita's athleticism and rim-protecting ability in this one. Take another look at his monster block against Kansas.
Baller Prediction
BYU upsets Arizona in a close game and cements their NCAA tournament bid.
If you're worried about this one, take a look at the last time BYU travelled to Tucson, hopefully that calms your mind.
BYU plays at Arizona tomorrow. Last time BYU played in Tucson Jimmer dropped 49 points. pic.twitter.com/yD7cwq6VsQ
— Robby McCombs (@rtmccombs) February 21, 2025
Catch this game on ESPN at 8:00 PM Mountain Time.