BYU vs. VCU: Three NCAA Tournament Game Day Thoughts
Mar 20, 2025, 1:27 AM
DENVER – It’s an NCAA Tournament game day as BYU vs VCU takes center stage in the Mile High City this afternoon.
Since the bracket was revealed on Sunday, the talk around college basketball has been the intrigue in this matchup.
Both teams have the metrics and stats suggesting they could be bracket-busters in the East Region.
Here are three game day thoughts as we prepare for the highly anticipated No. 6 seed vs. No. 11 seed matchup in the NCAA Tournament.
#1 Kevin Young’s debut on a national stage
When BYU hired Kevin Young, it was a significant splash in the college basketball landscape. A high-profile NBA assistant taking a head coach job at BYU.
It was a hire that showed BYU is in the business of winning at the highest levels.
Young has transformed the BYU basketball program in many ways already. The biggest transformation needs to happen in March.
BYU is known as the program with the most appearances in the “Big Dance” without reaching the Final Four. ESPN’s Rece Davis even brought it up as a trivia question during the Sunday “Bracketology” breakdown.
With the way BYU is recruiting and the wins they have put together against Arizona at the McKale Center and Iowa State at Hinkle Fieldhouse, they are showing that they have the potential under Kevin Young to be a program that captures national attention.
The missing piece is success in March Madness.
Young gets his first opportunity to stack up wins in the Dance today against VCU, and he believes his team’s readiness is where it needs to be.
BYU vs. VCU: Extended Pregame
📆: Thursday, March 20
⏰: Noon (MDT)
📻: @kslnewsradio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM) pic.twitter.com/ViAgJjeFxd— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 19, 2025
“I’d say high,” Young said on the readiness of his team entering the matchup against VCU. “Interestingly, just talking with some of the guys that were in this very similar situation last year, just picking their brains on some of the things they learned, trying to get ahead of some things that they felt on a team and individual level were mistakes from last year. So, picking their brains.
“But I think that’s what’s great about the Big 12. You go through a lot of battles throughout the course of the regular season, even the postseason. So I think our guys are ready. We have a mature group and are definitely relying on their experience, as well.”
#2 BYU vs VCU: Cougars need a fast start
Last Friday, against Houston, BYU was down 15-0 before they settled in against the Big 12 champions. It was game over before it even started.
A year ago in the NCAA Tournament, No. 6 seed BYU was down 9-0 against underdog No. 11 seed Duquesne in Omaha.
Getting off to a fast start is critical for BYU to win against a VCU team that knows how to win—and, more importantly, how to win in a bracket. The Rams were the A-10 Tournament Champions last week in Washington, D.C.
How big of tournament will Richie Saunders have for #BYU here in Denver?#BYUHoops @kslsports #NCAATournament pic.twitter.com/DeRoE2aDKt
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_TV) March 19, 2025
“We’ve got to right away. Show up, show who we are, show our focus and just dominate,” BYU guard Richie Saunders said to KSL Sports on Wednesday. “I don’t know what the game is going to tell, right? But at the end of the day, we feel like we will come out strong from the beginning. That’s just how it’s going to be.”
#3 An unexpected star performance needs to emerge
Remember when BYU took down Florida in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament? It’s probably easy to remember Jimmer Fredette waving to the camera and putting together a 37-point performance in the double-overtime win.
What probably gets forgotten is reserve guard Mike Loyd Jr.’s 26-point performance off the bench in that victory to send BYU to the round of 32 for the first time in 17 years.
BYU is back in the Big Dance for the 32nd time in program history. pic.twitter.com/Xr9UmRMvhy
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 19, 2025
Fast forward to 2025. It’s been 14 years since BYU reached the second round. To break their recent struggles in the “Big Dance,” they need an unexpected star performance to emerge.
The good news for BYU is that they have a 10-man rotation, where nearly everyone has had a game or two where they put together a performance that led to a win.
Someone to watch is reserve guard Dawson Baker. Kevin Young has liked Baker’s ability to fill it up the moment he steps on the floor. If Baker can get his midrange floater game working, that could be a good sign for the Cougars.
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Or how about Trey Stewart? The senior guard has played the best ball of his BYU career in the past month. Stewart is an excellent defender. VCU prides itself on being able to knock down threes. But in their losses, the Rams have shot 16% from beyond the arcs in both setbacks during the 2025 calendar year.
Maybe Stewart can provide a spark off the bench to limit VCU’s success from three?
Another player to watch is Foussyeni Traore. The senior big man is a beloved player among BYU fans because he’s been a steady force inside for four consecutive seasons. This is Traore’s second appearance in the “Big Dance.” VCU has rim protection with true freshman Luke Bamgboye. However, Traore has the maturity and strength in the post, which could be a tough matchup for the young freshman.
Whoever it is, BYU needs a player or two to go along with Richie Saunders to have a big game, if they are going to advance to Saturday.
BYU vs VCU
First Round – 2025 NCAA Tournament
Location: Denver, Colorado
Arena: Ball Arena
Tip-Off: 2:05 p.m. (MDT)
TV: TNT
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM in Utah – Extended pregame begins at Noon)
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.
