BYU Basketball Continues Homestand Against UC Riverside
Nov 7, 2024, 11:29 PM | Updated: 11:45 pm
BYU basketball freshman Kanon Catchings gets set for game two of his career against UC Riverside. (Nate Edwards/BYU Photo)
(Nate Edwards/BYU Photo)
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball under Kevin Young is starting the 2024-25 season strong.
After defeating Central Arkansas 88-50 in the season-opener, BYU will welcome UC Riverside from the Big West Conference to the Marriott Center on Friday night.
It’s the second of a five-game homestand to open the season for BYU, who is ranked in the Top 20 of the KenPom ratings entering the game.
BYU vs. UC Riverside: How To Watch, Listen
Date: Friday, November 8, 2024
Location: Marriott Center
Tip-Off: 7 p.m. (MST)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
Fabulous Freshmen lead BYU basketball
BYU freshmen Kanon Catchings and Egor Demin shined in their college debuts earlier this week.
It’s lob city in Provo right now 🔥
(via @BYUMBB)
pic.twitter.com/xK6mkLOQXg— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 6, 2024
The freshman tandem combined to score 35 points and hit eight threes between the two of them.
Kevin Young wants to see growth out of Catchings on the defensive end of the floor. The Brownsburg, Indiana native had three blocks in his BYU debut, the second most blocks ever in a first game by a BYU Cougar.
“He’s a gifted scorer. If he can guard, the sky’s the limit for him,” Young said on Catchings.
Demin became only the second player in Big 12 history to produce 10+ points and 10+ assists in a freshman debut. He joined NBA All-Star Trae Young as the only players in league history to accomplish that stat line in their first college game.
Personnel notes
BYU was without Dallin Hall in the season opener against Central Arkansas.
“We’re taking an approach through the medical team that once he’s back, he’s back,” Young said on Hall. “We don’t want to have him one day out the next. So that’s kind of the approach there.”
We’ll see if Hall can go on Friday night.
Demin, freshman Elijah Crawford, and redshirt junior Dawson Baker handled the point guard spot in the opener.
Returning veteran Richie Saunders shined in the season opener. The former Wasatch Academy standout, who turned down an opportunity to join Mark Pope at Kentucky this past offseason, scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the opener.
“I love the guy,” Young said on Saunders. “He does everything you ask. His motor is incredible. I thought he actually got us going a little bit offensively with some of his drives to the basket and just his point of attacks. He’s been a really good force in training camp early on, and I was happy to see his efficiency out there.”
Getting to know the UC Riverside Highlanders
UC Riverside comes into Friday night’s matchup at the Marriott Center with a 0-1 record.
The Highlanders lost their season opener at new Big Ten member Oregon, 91-76.
UC Riverside was tied with the Ducks through the first 10 minutes of action, but Oregon pulled away in the final 10 minutes of the first half, led by former McDonald’s All-American Kwame Evans, who scored 23 points.
Preseason All-Big West performer sophomore Barrington Hargress led the Highlanders with 20 points.
With Hargress and returning lettermen Nate Pickens and Isaiah Moses, the Highlanders have one of the best backcourts in the Big West this season.
UC Riverside was picked to finish fourth in the preseason Big West poll but did receive one first-place vote from one of the coaches in the league.
BYU had one previous meeting against UC Riverside. That was the 1999-2000 season opener. Former BYU star Mekeli Wesley had 24 points and Terrell Lyday had 14 in his Cougar debut for the 91-62 victory.
BYU/UC Riverside Projections
- KenPom: BYU 85, UC Riverside 67 (95% chance of BYU win)
- ESPN BPI: 96.9% win probability
- Bart Torvik: BYU 85, UC Riverside 68 (93% chance of BYU win)
- Haslam Metrics: BYU 83, UC Riverside 66
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.
