With 'backs against the wall,' BYU hosts Oklahoma State

Field Level Media|published: Tue 14th January, 08:22 2025

NCAA Basketball: Brigham Young at Providence

Dec 3, 2024; Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kevin Young signals to the team during the first half against the Providence Friars at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

A three-game losing streak has exposed a host of problems for BYU ahead of Tuesday night's Big 12 clash with Oklahoma State in Provo, Utah.

The Cougars (10-5, 1-3) dropped back-to-back games against Texas Tech and TCU last week by a total margin of nine points on the heels of a blowout loss to then-No. 14 Houston. BYU surrendered a lead in the final four minutes against the Horned Frogs.

Common threads emerged from the trio of setbacks.

BYU is struggling to shut down opponents on the perimeter. In their three consecutive losses, the Cougars have allowed teams to shoot 40.7 percent from 3-point range and make an average of 11.7 3-pointers per game.

Offensively, BYU is averaging just 63 points per game during its three-game slide and has shot just 31 percent from 3-point range in that stretch. The Cougars also have a propensity for coughing up turnovers and handing opponents several extra scoring chances. BYU had 16 turnovers against TCU; Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings combined for seven.

"You gotta have grit," BYU coach Kevin Young said. "We very easily could have won either game, but we didn't, right? So you gotta kind of band together. I think that will make us closer. We kinda got our backs against the wall here in the early part of the league play."

Oklahoma State is backed up against a similar wall.

The Cowboys (9-6, 1-3) are coming off an 83-62 loss to Utah on Saturday where they surrendered the game's first 12 points and trailed by double digits almost the whole way. It was the first Big 12 win for the struggling Utes, who had lost all three of their previous league contests by 20-plus points.

"We didn't give enough effort," Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz said. "You've either got to fight and scrap and claw on the defensive end and give your best, or you don't."

The flat effort was a bit surprising for the Cowboys, who were coming off a 79-66 win over Kansas State. Abou Ousmane, in particular, struggled. Ousmane had 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting against the Wildcats but followed with only eight points against the Utes.

--Field Level Media