Report: BYU Basketball To Play In 2021 Diamond Head Classic
May 4, 2021, 5:05 PM
LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Mark Pope of the BYU Cougars applauds his players as he calls in a play during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 26, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
(Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball reportedly added a big piece to its non-conference schedule for the 2021-22 season. The Cougars are going to play in the 2021 Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii.
Jon Rothstein from College Hoops Today and CBS reported the news.
Sources: Stanford, BYU, Northern Iowa, Wyoming, New Mexico State, South Florida, Liberty, and Hawaii will headline the 2021 Diamond Head Classic.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 4, 2021
The Diamond Head Classic would serve as BYU’s one multi-team event in the non-conference schedule. Last year, BYU played in “Bubbleville” in Connecticut as part of the Legends Classic against USC and St. John’s. In the first year under Mark Pope, BYU had a third-place finish in the Maui Invitational.
According to Rothstein’s report, the 2021 Diamond Head Classic will include BYU, Stanford, Northern Iowa, Wyoming, New Mexico State, South Florida, Liberty, and host Hawaii. Last year’s Diamond Head Classic was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
BYU last appeared in the Diamond Head Classic in 2015. The Cougars were 2-1 after losing their opening round game against Harvard. They then reeled off a pair of wins against New Mexico and Northern Iowa.
The event is scheduled to take place December 22, 23, and 25 (Christmas Day), 2021, at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
BYU Basketball Non-Conference schedule in 2021-22
BYU’s 2021-22 non-conference schedule includes games against rival Utah, San Diego State, Arizona State, and Utah Valley.
Last season, BYU finished with a 20-7 record, earning a 6-seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. BYU lost to Final Four participant UCLA in the first round of the Big Dance, the Cougars first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015.
In two years under head coach Mark Pope, BYU has posted a 44-15 record, with a pair of top 20 finishes in the Ken Pomeroy ratings.
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 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
