Trevin Knell has scored 1,000 points and silenced 1,000 doubters

In BYU’s 91-57 obliteration of No. 23 Kansas in the Marriott Center, fifth-year shooting guard Trevin Knell scored his 1,000th point in a Cougars uniform. As the 6-foot-5 long-range sniper winds down his career in Provo, it was only fitting he surpassed this memorable career milestone in such a memorable game.

According to KSL Sports, Knell is the 54th BYU player to reach the 1,000-point threshold and has etched his name among some of the elite scorers in program history.

Achieving this individual honor while also helping Kevin Young’s squad succeed this year is the perfect way for Knell to close out his long and sometimes winding career at BYU. His 3-point barrages this season have not only silenced opposing crowds, they’ve also silenced some BYU fans who have at times questioned his on-court impact and role on the team.

Silencing the doubters

Knell’s solid play this year has silenced those who at times have questioned the value he brings to the team.

And just to be transparent, I’m not pointing any fingers at you as a reader or at BYU fans in general. I’m pointing the finger of doubt at myself.

Before this season began I was among those who clearly saw Knell’s value when he would shoot 3-of-6 from the 3-point line in a given game, but wondered why he got so many minutes when his shot wasn’t falling. That’s nothing personal against Trevin Knell, either. It’s just the nature of the beast for 3-point shooters who don’t initiate the offense, rack up assists, or rebound at high levels.

Last year a number of BYU fans like me grew impatient with Knell’s impact versus the minutes he played.

There was a five-game stretch last year in Big 12 play in which he averaged just five points in 21 minutes per game, shooting just 4-of-18 from the 3-point line. BYU lost three of those five games.

In BYU’s final two games of the season last year – a Big 12 tournament loss to Texas Tech and the awful NCAA Tournament loss versus Duquesne – Knell scored a total of six points in 38 minutes, shooting 2-of-8 from the field and 0-of-6 from the 3-point line.

On the whole last year Trevin averaged 10.6 points in 24.3 minutes per game while shooting a solid 38.5% from 3, but his impact was inconsistent. When he was on, he could swing the outcome of a game. But when he was off, he seemed to drift. While former coach Mark Pope would continue to ride Knell even during the cold stretches, he would have to prove himself all over again this year to new coach Kevin Young.

Knell’s scorching senior season

While the fifth-year senior is playing four fewer minutes per game this year when compared to last (20.3 minutes versus 24.3), his impact has been greater than in any previous season.

First, Knell is shooting a blistering 42.9% from the 3-point line on nearly five attempts per game. His 9.4 points per game are coming within the flow of the offense. His spacing has been impeccable as he has adeptly finds open spots as Egor Demin and Richie Saunders penetrate and force defenses to collapse, leaving him unguarded and salivating at the 3-point line.

Something in Trevin’s game that doesn’t show up in the box score is the gravity he generates. Opposing defenses know that they simply can’t leave him open at the 3-point line. When Demin or Saunders drive to the bucket or Fousseyni Traore gets the ball in the post, Knell’s defender knows he can’t go help. And when they do, Knell has made them pay by consistently drilling open catch-and-shoot 3s.

From an advanced stats standpoint, per Spotrac, Knell’s Box Plus/Minus – an estimate of the points per 100 possessions a player contributes – ranks third on the team behind Saunders and Traore. He also ranks third in Win Share Percentage while his Player Efficiency Rating ranks fourth on the team. And for a BYU team that struggles to take care of the ball, Knell’s Turnover Percentage of 9.2% is the lowest among all of BYU’s regular players.

Going out with a bang

Trevin Knell has solidified his legacy at BYU by joining the exclusive 1,000-point club, and he’ll continue to rise in the all-time scoring rankings as he closes out his senior season.

His previous four seasons in Provo have had their ups and downs, but the veteran has saved his best for last, silencing doubters along the way.

As BYU prepares for the looming Big 12 Tournament and tries to secure a bid in the NCAA Tournament, much will be riding on Knell maintaining his season-long 3-point accuracy.

Let’s hope the fifth-year senior goes out with a bang.