BYU Basketball Gears Up For First True Road Test At Providence
Dec 2, 2024, 10:02 PM
BYU basketball head coach Kevin Young leads the Cougars into their first true road game of the season. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
BYU basketball doesn’t visit the East Coast often for road games in non-conference action.
On Tuesday night, BYU (6-1) takes on Providence (5-3) as part of the BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle. It will be BYU’s first true road game under first-year head coach Kevin Young.
The matchup will be BYU’s first road test on the East Coast in non-conference play since a trip to Princeton in 2017.
BYU left for Rhode Island on Sunday night and had no issues making the two-timezone trip.
Last week, BYU earned a split in San Diego. They lost to Ole Miss in overtime but took down NC State on Black Friday. The team didn’t leave San Diego until Saturday morning due to a “flight malfunction” on Friday night.
BYU’s only practice in preparation for Providence occurred Monday morning in Rhode Island.
“I thought the NC State game, the attention to detail for the game plan, was probably the best we’ve had all year. So that was a real positive,” said Young. ”
Young also pointed out that he was impressed with the “real business-like approach” his team displayed in the quick turnaround from the loss against Ole Miss to beating NC State the following day.
BYU vs. Providence: How To Watch, Listen
Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Location:
Tip-Off: 6:30 p.m. (MST)
TV: FS1
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
Personnel Notes
During BYU’s neutral court win against NC State last week, the Cougars played 10 players, nine of whom scored.
It will be interesting to see in a true road environment if Young’s rotation tightens up and which players, as a byproduct, get fewer minutes. Or does BYU continue to play 10 guys?
One guy who will be getting a bulk of minutes is freshman guard Egor Demin.
In the win against NC State, Demin grabbed 11 rebounds, scored eight points, and had four assists.
In the past two games, BYU’s starting five consisted of Dallin Hall, Egor Demin, Richie Saunders, Kanon Catchings, and Keba Keita. Many projected that lineup in the preseason, but they’ve only had that lineup for two games because Hall missed the first four games due to a toe injury and Keba Keita missed one game after an ankle setback.
BYU assistant has a strong history with Providence
BYU basketball assistant coach John Linehan is a former two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year who played for the Providence Friars from 1997 to 2002.
Kevin Young pointed out that Linehan “knows these guys well” when asked if the former guard was tasked with putting together the scouting report on Providence. Young noted that it’s an “all hands on deck” approach with his staff to creating a game plan.
Back in July, Linehan spoke with Cougar Sports Saturday on KSL NewsRadio after he was hired to join Kevin Young’s staff.
He was asked about his feelings about joining a BYU program that will give him the chance to face his alma mater.
“Oh man, you know, I can’t wait,” Linehan said to KSL Sports in July. “That game is marked and highlighted on the schedule, man. So I’m excited. Hopefully, the fan reception and everything is going to be great. I want to get those guys.”
Getting to know the Providence Friars
Providence returns home to “The AMP” (Amica Mutual Pavillion) after a tough trip to the Bahamas in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Friars finished 0-3 in the MTE after losses to Oklahoma, Davidson, and Indiana.
Tomorrow. Pack the AMP. pic.twitter.com/JKeggJW6Vb
— Providence MBB (@PCFriarsmbb) December 2, 2024
Providence comes into the game 5-3 with a perfect 5-0 record at home.
Despite the losing streak, BYU coach Kevin Young knows Providence will be a tough challenge for his team.
“They’ve got some dynamic guys who can really score it and shoot it and put pressure on you,” Young said. “So we’ll have to be much better there than we were against Ole Miss. There’s some stuff that we have been working on; our coverages and being able to mix things up is something that is of interest that we haven’t been able to do at a high level to this point. So they’ll certainly try that part of our game plan.”
Providence’s guards are Jayden Pierre, coming off a career-high 22-point performance against Indiana, and Corey Floyd, two returning lettermen on a Friar squad that brought in four transfers this season.
The big question for Providence entering Tuesday is the status of forward Bryce Hopkins. Hopkins has averaged 15.6 points per game in the past two seasons at PC.
In January, Hopkins suffered an ACL injury, which caused him to miss the remainder of the season. He hasn’t played yet in the 2024-25 season.
Hopkins is a former Top-40 recruit in the class of 2021 who signed with Kentucky out of high school.
BYU’s history against Providence
BYU has had two previous matchups with the Friars. The last meeting was in 1982 at the Marriott Center. Former NBA player Otis Thorpe led Providence. Devin Durrant and Greg Kite led BYU.
The first meeting between the two faith-based institutions on the hardwood was in Philadelphia in 1962. BYU won that game 81-68. The Friars had former Georgetown head coach John Thompson on the 1962-63 squad that finished in the Top 10. BYU handed them one of their four losses that season.
NET Rankings
BYU enters the matchup ranked No. 48 in the initial NET rankings, while the Friars are ranked No. 104. That means it will be a “Quad 2” game for both teams.
Opponents ranked 76-135 in road games count as “Quad 2” in the NCAA’s NET ranking system. Teams that host opponents ranked 31-75 equal a “Quad 2” opportunity.
BYU/Providence Projections
- KenPom: BYU 72, Providence 68 (65% win probability)
- ESPN BPI: 66% win probability
- Bart Torvik: BYU 71, Providence 67 (68% win probability)
- Haslam Metrics: BYU 75, Providence 69
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
