BYU Wins Sixth-Straight WCC Game For First Time Since 2015

SAN DIEGO – The last time BYU basketball found themselves on a six-game winning streak, just so happens to be the last time the Cougars appeared in the NCAA Tournament.

With Saturday night’s win against the San Diego Toreros, BYU is now on a six-game winning streak in the West Coast Conference for the first time since 2015.

#BYU is now on a six-game winning streak in WCC play. First that has happened since 2015, the last time #BYU appeared in the NCAA Tournament.#BYUhoops @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) February 16, 2020

“That’s the first time in six years, isn’t it,” asked BYU coach Pope on the BYU Sports Network heard on KSL NewsRadio. “Six in a row in [the] league, let’s go boys!”

It’s a huge milestone for a program that’s looking to secure the two-seed in the West Coast Conference Tournament, which gives a three-round bye to the Semifinals and then ultimately looking to secure a bid in the Big Dance.

BYU’s six-game winning streak began after a January 25th loss at San Francisco on the Hilltop. Since then, BYU has defeated Pepperdine, Saint Mary’s, Portland, San Francisco, Loyola Marymount, and now San Diego.

The average margin of victory in those wins has been by an average of 16.3 points per game. Wins over Saint Mary’s and San Diego on Saturday were the closest calls with those games being decided by two and one points respectively.

This sixth consecutive league victory now gives BYU a total of 10 wins in league play which is the 15th consecutive year the Cougars have accomplished such feat.

In 2015, BYU’s streak ended at eight consecutive league victories before falling to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference Tournament title game. BYU ended up receiving an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament that year and lost to the Ole Miss Rebels in the First Four round of the tournament.

West Coast Conference League Standings

(Thru February 15th, 2020)

Gonzaga – 26-1, 12-0 WCC

BYU – 21-7, 10-3

Saint Mary’s – 21-6, 8-4

Pacific – 20-9, 8-5

Pepperdine – 14-13, 7-6

San Francisco – 17-10, 6-6

Santa Clara – 18-9, 5-7

Loyola Marymount – 9-17, 3-9

San Diego – 9-19, 2-11

Portland – 9-18, 1-11

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.