You can't win them all. BYU was given that hard truth in the blowout loss in Houston. However, the Cougars are resilient and will look to bounce back against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. BYU has shown before that they can bounce back stronger. The Cougars have got the talent and have a few tricks up their sleeve. The Marriott Center will be packed and the crowd will be loud.
BYU suffered a tough loss in Houston last week BYU kept turning the ball over and couldn't stop Houston. BYU had a tough job to do against a Top 15 team. The Texas Tech Red Raiders will be another tough test, especially against Darrion Williams, who averages 16.2 points per game. Texas Tech plays a very aggressive style of offense, relying heavily on the three-ball. Texas Tech's defense is good at turning the ball over, which was evident against Utah.
Keys to the Game for BYU:
Get hot early
Get the shooters going early. The mix of Trevin Knell, Riche Saunders, and Egor Demin will need to start hitting shots early, but take smart shots. BYU has the shooting ability and can get going, but they have to take smarter shots. Against Houston, BYU had nothing going and shot 37.5 percent from two and 33.3 percent from three. BYU is at its best when they start shooting hot early.
Take care of the ball.
BYU turned the ball over 15 times against Houston, leading to 24 points. BYU needs to take care of the basketball and make smart passes. BYU gives up too many easy buckets because of poor ball handling and poor passing. BYU will have to be careful and play smart.
Stay sound on defense
BYU's defense can make big plays. When BYU's defense is playing together, they can take the opponent's mistakes and turn them into points. Kanon Catchings is a dominant player down low, blocking the opponent's shots and turning defense into offense. BYU will have to be fundamentally sound and work as a team to beat Texas Tech.
BYU has a good chance to beat the Red Raiders at home, with the BYU crowd behind them. If the Cougars can get hot early, take care of the ball, and stay sound of defense. The Cougars have a chance to bounce back at home, and they look like they could take it.
BYU will be in action on Tuesday, January 7th at home. The game starts at 7:00 pm and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
