BYU Tips Off 2021-22 Season Against Horizon League Champ Cleveland State

PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball tips off the 2021-22 season against Horizon League Champion Cleveland State.

Both BYU (0-0) and Cleveland State (0-0) made appearances in the NCAA Tournament a season ago. Each squad fell in the opening round of the Big Dance out in Indianapolis this past March.

He's bouncy 🆙🆙🆙#BYUhoops x @GideonOmohkudu pic.twitter.com/aNKWi5KuUO

— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) November 3, 2021

BYU and Cleveland State is just one of five opening night games that feature two teams from last year’s NCAA Tournament field.

CBB opening night games between teams who both played in the 2021 NCAA Tournament:

Mount St. Mary's at Villanova
Kansas/Michigan State (MSG)
Appalachian State at Iona
Texas Southern at Oregon
Cleveland State at BYU

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 8, 2021

“We’re excited to get going. It’s coming. This deal Tuesday [against Cleveland State] is like a midseason conference game that’s just going to be a battle. This is a great team rolling in here; we’re excited about them,” said third-year BYU coach Mark Pope.

BYU vs. Cleveland State

Tip Time: 8 p.m. (MT)

Location: Marriott Center, Provo, Utah

TV: BYUtv

Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM – Pregame begins at 7 p.m.)

Series: First-ever meeting

BYU Basketball opens 2021-22 season with high expectations

The third year of the Mark Pope era for BYU basketball features a dynamic roster that looks to get back to the NCAA Tournament as a single-digit seed again. But this time, they want to make a run after being bounced early by UCLA.

It helps that BYU gets guard Alex Barcello back for one more year. Barcello was an AP Honorable Mention All-American a season ago, and he took advantage of the free year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does #BYU have the roster to finish in the Top 25 again for a third consecutive year?

Coach Mark Pope believes they do.#BYUHoops @kslsports pic.twitter.com/nRyjxRwmf8

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 9, 2021

Barcello teams up with Milwaukee grad transfer Te’Jon Lucas to form an experienced backcourt. The guard tandem of Barcello and Lucas will be one of the most experienced guard tandems in the country this season.

The frontcourt has some questions on how the rotation will play out each night, but the pieces are there for high-level production—starting with preseason All-WCC pick Caleb Lohner. During his freshman season a year ago, Lohner emerged as one of the best rebounders over the past two decades for BYU basketball.

At the three spot is Gideon George, who looks poised to make big leaps in his game after his first year coming to BYU from the JUCO ranks.

The center position features Richard Harward, who has been around Mark Pope since their days at UVU together. He understands what Pope, a former center himself, wants from the position. Harward had a scary moment in the exhibition win over Colorado Christian, where he collapsed on the bench and later had to be carried off to the locker room by teammates. Pope said on Thursday that Harward would be fine and he said it could have been dehydration for the 6-foot-11, 256-pound senior from Orem.

#BYU coach Mark Pope discusses Richard Harward leaving the game early and going back to the locker room. @kslsports pic.twitter.com/OK6wyIsFKs

— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) November 5, 2021

What to know about Cleveland State

Cleveland State finished last season 19-7 overall and won the Horizon League Conference Tournament. A league tourney that current BYU guard Te’Jon Lucas was part of last year with Milwaukee, who the Vikings defeated en route to the league tournament title.

Gameday Ready! 😤😤#GoVikes pic.twitter.com/SDaivO0CzQ

— @CSU_Basketball (@csu_basketball) October 30, 2021

The Vikings have been on the rise the past two years under rising star coach Dennis Gates, the back-to-back coach of the year in the Horizon League. Gates worked for nearly a decade on the bench at Florida State under FSU coach Leonard Hamilton.

The Vikings bring back 14 players from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, plus they bring in former WCC starter at Pacific Broc Finstuen out of the Transfer Portal and Florida State grad transfer guard Nathanael Jack. They are the preseason favorite to win the Horizon League again in the 2021-22 season.

CSU only made 6.4 three-point field goals per game last season.

Probable Starters

BYU (0-0)

G – Alex Barcello, 6-2, 192, Sr.

G – Te’Jon Lucas, 6-1, 187, Sr.

F – Gideon George, 6-6, 210, Sr.

F – Caleb Lohner, 6-8, 235, Soph.

C – Richard Harward, 6-11, 256, Sr.

Cleveland State (0-0)

G – Craig Beaudion, 6-3, 170, Sr.

G – Tre Gomillion, 6-4, 215, Sr.

G – D’Moi Hodge, 6-4, 180, Sr.

F – Torrey Patton, 6-5, 195, Sr.

F – Deante Johnson, 6-9, 210, Sr.

Prediction: BYU basketball tips-off season with a win

BYU’s three-point shooting will be the difference against Cleveland State. BYU and its personnel likely won’t faze the Vikings as they are a senior-laden squad that is experienced and believes they can win. But the first regular-season game at the Marriott Center with the opportunity for full capacity since BYU’s memorable win over Gonzaga in February 2020 will rattle Cleveland State.

BYU’s guard tandem of Barcello and Lucas has only one game under their belt together in the exhibition. Look for Lucas to be aggressive in this game, going up against a team familiar with their personnel.

Mark Pope has never won a game at #BYU without Alex Barcello in his program. He’s excited to have another year with the All-American candidate guard.#BYUHoops @kslsports pic.twitter.com/lFsJUIulNy

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 9, 2021

The Vikings hang around at the half, but BYU pulls away midway through the second half to rack up a double-digit victory on opening night.

BYU 81, Cleveland State 65

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.

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