BYU Basketball Closes Homestand Against Morgan State
Nov 17, 2023, 9:18 PM
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball looks to close out its season-opening homestand with a perfect record.
The 3-0 Cougars will welcome Morgan State to the Marriott Center. It’s the second meeting all time between the two programs. The last meeting occurred in 1995 when BYU defeated the Bears 110-69.
Morgan State enters the matchup with a 2-2 record.
BYU vs. Morgan State: How To Watch, Listen
Location: Marriott Center
City: Provo, Utah
Tip-Off: 7 p.m. (MT)/9 p.m. (ET)
TV/Stream: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
Probable Starting Lineups
BYU (3-0)
G – Trey Stewart | 6-2 | Junior
G – Trevin Knell | 6-5 | Redshirt-Junior
G – Spencer Johnson | 6-5 | Senior
F – Noah Waterman | 6-11 | Senior
F – Fousseyni Traore | 6-6 | Junior
Morgan State (2-2)
G – Kamron Hobbs | 5-10 | Junior
G – Wynston Tabbs | 6-3 | Senior (East Carolina transfer)
F – Will Thomas | 6-6 | Junior
F – Myles Thompson | 6-7 | Senior (Saint Francis, Pa. transfer)
C – Christian Oliver | 7-0 | Junior (JUCO transfer, East Los Angeles College)
What you need to know about BYU Basketball
BYU hasn’t opened a season with four consecutive home games since 2010-11. That year was one of the all-time best in program history as BYU advanced to the Sweet 16.
This season’s BYU team didn’t have Sweet 16 expectations coming into the year. Still, suddenly, the Cougars reached the No. 16 spot in the KenPom ratings after cruising through Southeast Louisiana on Wednesday 105-48.
𝙹𝚄𝚂𝚃 𝙶𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝙳 pic.twitter.com/NVyXQxOA9i
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) November 17, 2023
BYU hasn’t been in the top 20 KenPom ratings since March 2020.
The early season success has come from a high level of play on both ends.
On defense, BYU has held two of its first three opponents to less than 20 points in the first half of games. Offensively, BYU is leaning into its three-point shooting identity. BYU is tied for first nationally in three-pointers made per game. They are averaging 13.3 threes per game.
Star guard Dallin Hall continues to come off the bench for BYU, but head coach Mark Pope said Hall is 100% clear and isn’t on a minutes restriction. BYU continues to be without UC Irvine transfer Dawson Baker, who Pope hopes can return in December.
Charlotte transfer Aly Khalifa missed Wednesday’s game against SLU due to an undisclosed injury.
Redshirt junior guard Trevin Knell leads BYU in scoring through three games with 14.7 points per game.
Get to know the Morgan State Bears
The Bears hail from Baltimore, Maryland, and are part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Morgan State was picked fourth in the preseason MEAC poll, receiving two first-place votes.
To begin the 2023-24 season, Morgan State is 2-2. Both of their victories were against non-Division I opponents. In their two games against Division I teams, the Bears have lost by a total of 82 points (Arizona, Fresno State).
Morgan State is on a westward road trip as they work their way south to play in the Cancun Challenge next week in Mexico.
The Bears embody how college basketball is for many programs in this era. They have 14 newcomers on the roster. The most notable is East Carolina transfer guard Wynston Tabbs.
Tabbs began his collegiate career at Boston College. He’s averaging 11.8 points in his first year with the Bears.
Morgan State struggles defending the three as they are 316th in the nation in three-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot 38.3%.
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 Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.
