Three keys to BYU basketball winning the Big 12 Tournament

BYU is red-hot. The win at #10 Iowa State proved that. The Cougars have found a way time and time again. Now the Cougars have a chance at a double-bye in the Big 12 Tournament. The Cougars have just one game left in the regular season, at home against Utah. After that, the Big 12 Tournament starts on March 11th.

BYU has a lot of strengths and some weaknesses. When the Cougars are hot, they are knocking down threes and building big leads. However, when the Cougars aren’t hot, they seem to struggle and can get far behind or lose big leads.

BYU has a few great offensive weapons. Richie Saunders is a prime example, going a perfect 13 for 13 from the free-throw line and scoring 23 points against Iowa State. Fousseyni Traore is another scorer, finishing at the rim with little resistance. Add Dallin Hall and the Cougars have a recipe for offensive success.

BYU also has some good defense. Fousseyni Traore and Keba Keita can lock down the paint while Egor Demin and Dallin Hall get their hands on the basketball up top. BYU had 15 fast-break points and 17 points off turnovers against Iowa State. This team can easily turn defense into offense and build big leads.

Keys to BYU’s Success in the Big 12 Tournament:

1. Get hot early: BYU has had a rough start to the last couple of games, but so far, they haven’t been punished for it. BYU cannot afford to start cold if they want to win the Big 12 Tournament, especially against teams like Houston and Cincinnati.

2. Take the ball away, but don’t give it away: BYU had a turnover problem last game against Iowa State but still came out with the win. BYU needs to take care of the ball and make sure that they are not making careless passes. The Cougars will also benefit from taking the ball away and turning defense to offense, like they did against Kansas State.

3. Take smart shots: BYU is a good team when it comes to shooting. However, they sometimes take bad shots, leading to defensive rebounds that give points away. BYU needs to be smart about their shot selection and always look for the best shot.

BYU has a solid chance to win the Big 12 Tournament. If they can get hot early, minimize turnovers while maximizing takeaways, and take smart shots, this team could win some hardware in the Big 12 and beyond. It’s anyone’s tournament and is there for the taking if BYU wants it. It will be tough, but the Cougars have a chance.