BYU Creighton Basketball: What to Expect

The Brigham Young University Cougars men’s basketball team will take on the Creighton Bluejays in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday. Here’s what you can expect from this matchup.

Introduction

The BYU Cougars will take on the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha, Nebraska on Tuesday, December 10th at 7:00 pm MT. This will be the first meeting ever between the two programs. Here is what you can expect from the game.

The Bluejays are currently 6-2 and coming off of a loss to then-#3 Michigan State They are a well-rounded team that averages 79 points per game while shooting 47% from the field and 37% from behind the arc. Their leading scorer is Marcus Zegarowski, who is averaging 16 points per game

The Cougars are 7-2 on the season with their only losses coming to Marquette and Utah State BYU is averaging 76 points per game and shooting 45% from the field and 35% from three-point range Their leading scorer is Yoeli Childs, who is averaging 20 points and 9 rebounds per game

This should be a close and exciting game between two excellent teams. Be sure to tune in at 7:00 pm MT on December 10th to catch all of the action!

What to expect from BYU

The BYU Cougars will take on the Creighton Bluejays in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, and there are a few things fans can expect from their team.

First and foremost, the Cougars are a very Good defensive team. They rank in the top 15 in the nation in both points allowed per game and field goal percentage defense. So fans can expect a lot of tough defense from BYU.

offensively, they are a very balanced team. They have five players averaging in double figures, and they shoot a solid 46 percent from the field as a team. So fans can expect to see a lot of good offense from BYU as well.

In terms of how far they can go in the tournament, it is hard to say. They are unquestionably a good team, but they will be up against some stiff competition in the form of Creighton. However, if they can play to their strengths and get a few lucky breaks, anything is possible in March Madness

What to expect from Creighton

Creighton is a team on the rise in the Big East Conference They have won 20 or more games in five of the last six seasons, and they made the NCAA tournament in 2017 and 2018. The Bluejays are led by senior guard Marcus Zegarowski, who averaged 16.1 points per game last season.

How the two teams match up

The Cougars boast a strong frontline, led by Yoeli Childs and Payton Dastrup, while the Bluejays have one of the nation’s best backcourts in Marcus Foster and Ty-Shon Alexander.

On paper, this matchup looks to be a battle of wills between two very different styles of play. BYU likes to operate with a slow pace and grind out possessions on offense, while Creighton is one of the fastest teams in the country and looks to push the tempo at every opportunity.

The Cougars are also one of the best Defensive Teams in the country, while the Bluejays rely on their high-powered offense to carry them to victory. This game will likely come down to which team can impose its will on the other.

The Cougars are coming off a disappointing loss to San Diego State in the West Coast conference tournament while Creighton is coming off a loss to Butler in the Big East Tournament Both teams will be looking to Bounce Back with a win in this game.

Key Players to watch

Goetz and Creighton will have their hands full with trying to stop Buffalo’s high-powered offense. The Bulls are led by 5’9” guard Cierra Dillard, who is averaging 22.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game She is joined in the backcourt by another scoring threat in summer signing Joanna Hedstrom. The 6-foot guard from Sweden is averaging 16.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 45 percent from three-point range.

X-factors

In order for BYU to have any chance in this game, they will need to control the tempo and play their brand of physical basketball. That starts with controlling the glass, as both Coach Rose and his players have said multiple times this week. It will be crucial for guys like Yoeli Childs, TJ Haws, and Nick Emery to assert themselves early and often on the glass. In addition to cleaning up their own misses, they will need to box out effectively to prevent Creighton from getting second chance points.

Another key for BYU will be to take care of the ball and limit their turnovers. This is something that has been a problem for them at times this season, but if they can take care of the ball against a team like Creighton, it will go a long way in helping them stay in the game.

Lastly, BYU will need to hit their shots. They are not a team that is going to light up the scoreboard, but if they can knock down their open looks and make Creighton pay for leaving them open, it will give them a fighting chance in this game.

Predictions

Predictions for the 2019-2020 Season vary for BYU Ighton Basketball Some have BYU finishing as high as 2nd in the conference while others have them closer to the middle of the pack. The one thing that most people seem to agree on is that this season will be an improvement from last season. Here are a few things to watch for:

– star player Matt Haarms will be a force to be reckoned with in the post
– transfer TJ Haws should provide a boost to the backcourt
– freshman Brenden Salvatore could see significant minutes
– veteran leaders like Nick Emery and Yoeli Childs will need to step up

Conclusion

It is safe to say that the majority of basketball fans in the state of Nebraska are familiar with the Brigham Young University (BYU) men’s Basketball team The team has been to the NCAA tournament 30 times, most recently in 2015. They have won the West Coast Conference (WCC) regular season title 13 times and the WCC tournament 9 times. BYU has also produced 17 NBA players most notably, hall of famer Danny Ainge

The BYU men’s basketball team will be playing against Creighton University on December 12th, at 7 PM in Omaha, Nebraska. This game will be especially significant as it is the first time these two schools have ever played each other in Division 1 basketball. It should be a great game between two evenly matched teams.

Afterthoughts

The Cougars have had a great season so far and they are not done yet. They have clinched a spot in the NCAA tournament and they will be playing in the first round against Ole Miss This should be a great game and it will be interesting to see how the Cougars match up against a tough Ole Miss team.

Further Reading/Resources

-“BYU Cougars beat Creighton Bluejays to advance to West Coast Conference semifinals”. Deseret News, March 8, 2019.
-“Everything you need to know about the WCC tournament”. Salt Lake Tribune, March 6, 2019.
-Ryan McDonald. “With eye on NCAA Tournament bid, BYU men’s basketball takes on regular-season champ Gonzaga”. Daily Herald February 28, 2019.