College GameDay Host Gives High Praise To BYU Guard Alex Barcello
Jan 15, 2022, 10:49 AM
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 26: ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas stands on the court before calling the Continental Tire Challenge between the Duke Blue Devils and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at T-Mobile Arena on November 26, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Blue Devils defeated the Bulldogs 84-81. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball star Alex Barcello received some love on ESPN’s College GameDay.
During the season premiere of ESPN’s pregame show for college basketball, the hosts Rece Davis, Laphonso Ellis, Seth Greenberg, and Jay Bilas discussed who the best shooters are this season.
ESPN’s Jay Bilas on College GameDay called #BYU guard Alex Barcello the best shooter in the country.#BYUHoops
pic.twitter.com/oA9TtnriJk— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 15, 2022
Before switching to another topic, Bilas, who called the BYU-Gonzaga game on Thursday night in The Kennel, made sure to give praise to BYU’s star guard.
“I will say, though, Alex Barcello of BYU is the best shooter in the country. He’s the best shooter,” said Bilas.
Barcello is in his final year at BYU as a fifth-year senior, is shooting 47.9% from the three-point line this season, which is good for seventh nationally in college hoops. In addition, Barcello has put up 96 three-point attempts, which is more than all six individuals in front of him in three-point percentage this season.
The Chandler, Arizona native leads BYU in scoring at 16.8 points per game. Earlier this season, BYU head coach Mark Pope –who has never won a game without Barcello in his lineup at BYU– pointed to Barcello as an All-American with the numbers he has been putting up.
It takes a kingdom.@BYUroc | @BYUMBB pic.twitter.com/YLqMUdxGOA
— Alex Barcello (@AlexBarcello23) January 9, 2022
Barcello is hovering around the 50-40-90 percentage marks this season. Barcello is also 46.3% from the field and 88.9% from the free-throw line. Earlier this month, Barcello reached 1,000 career points at BYU. This is Barcello’s third year with the Cougars after spending two seasons at the University of Arizona.
Some of the other names discussed by the College Gameday crew for best shooters included UCLA’s Johnny Juzang and Notre Dame’s Dane Goodwin.
Barcello has helped lead BYU to a 14-4 start to the 2021-22 season and a projected NCAA Tournament at-large bid. BYU is on the road tonight to take on WCC foe San Francisco at 9 p.m. on CBS Sports Network and KSL NewsRadio.
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.
