The BYU Cougars enter their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2021 seeking their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2011.
BYU is back in the NCAA Tournament for the 30th time in program history but for the first time as a member of the Big 12 conference. Making the tournament this season seems like a big accomplishment as this team was picked to finish 13th in their conference before the season started.
COUGS ARE DANCING. pic.twitter.com/RkvKTJKtNJ
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) March 17, 2024
The Cougars came out and surprised a lot of people losing just one game before heading into conference play. However, struggles hit when BYU played their first Big 12 games.
After hovering for a while around the .500 mark, the Cougars picked things up towards the end of the season and seem to be getting hot at just the right time. For their 30th trip to the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars were selected as a 6-seed and will play in a tough East Region.
Their first matchup is set against 11-seed Duquesne on Thursday, March 21 at 12:40 p.m. ET.
BYU Cougars all-time NCAA tournament record
BYU has never made it to the Final Four which in turn means they have never made it to the NCAA Championship. The one time they got close enough in the modern era of the NCAA Tournament was back in 2011 when they made it to the Sweet Sixteen, but was ultimately knocked out by Florida in overtime.
The Cougars have also not made it to the Elite Eight since the tournament expanded in 1985. Will this be the year they change that?
Here’s a breakdown of how the Cougars have fared in their 19 appearances since the tournament expanded in 1985.
- Round of 64: 5-15
- Round of 32: 1-4
- Sweet 16: 0-1
- Elite 8: 0-0
- Final Four: 0-0
- National Championship: 0-0
- Overall: 6-20
Let’s take a more in-depth look at how the Cougars have fared in some of the later rounds (since 1985).
What is BYU's Sweet 16 record?
- 2011 (3): L to 2-seed Florida, 83-74 OT
Prior to 1985, they competed in the tournament 11 times. Here’s a breakdown of how they fared.
- Round of 48: 2-0
- Round of 32: 1-4
- Round of 24: 0-2
- Sweet 16: 1-3
- Elite 8: 0-3
- Regional third place game: 2-3
- Overall: 6-15
BYU begins its title hunt on Friday, March 21, and is in a stacked a stacked Easy region. It is going to be a tough road, but if I am a betting person, BYU basketball is just getting started.