BYU enters its second Big 12 season with a new head coach and increased expectations for success.
Kevin Young will debut at the helm for the Cougars when they host Central Arkansas on Tuesday in Provo, Utah.
Young was the associate head coach for the Phoenix Suns before being hired to fill a vacancy left by Mark Pope, who departed to Kentucky.
A palpable buzz has surrounded the program since Young took over.
He immediately filled out the roster with several talented freshmen and transfers. Headlining these newcomers are Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings, both of whom are projected as first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Keba Keita (Utah) and Mawot Mag (Rutgers) are key transfers who will make BYU stouter defensively than a year ago.
They join an experienced and dynamic nucleus that includes Dallin Hall, Trevin Knell, Fousseyni Traore and Richie Saunders.
“BYU had a great base with some really good players who had unprecedented success in Year 1 in the Big 12, so I thought that would help me transition nicely and give us a great foundation to build from,” Young said.
BYU was picked in the preseason to finish ninth in the Big 12 after tying for fifth with Kansas last season at 10-8 (23-11 overall). The Cougars received votes in the preseason Top 25 AP Poll but find themselves trying to prove doubters wrong for a second straight year.
Lighting up the scoreboard shouldn’t be an issue for BYU again this season. The Cougars return four of their top seven scorers from a team that averaged 81.4 points per game. They led the Big 12 in scoring and 3-pointers per game (11.1).
“BYU fans are going to love this style of play,” Knell said. “There’s a lot of freedom of picking your points and finding the weakness in the defense.”
Central Arkansas resides on the opposite end of the basketball spectrum from BYU.
The Bears won just nine games a year ago and finished 11th in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Elias Cato and Glory Etim are the returning starters from that team. Cato was the No. 2 scorer last season (11.9 ppg) and Etim was the top rebounder (7.5 rpg).
New Bears head coach John Shulman will make his debut in Provo. Shulman posted a 112-39 record in five seasons at Division II Alabama-Huntsville.
BYU will be one of five power-conference opponents Central Arkansas faces in the regular season. The Bears also play Utah, Georgia Tech, Arkansas and Oklahoma in November and December.
“It feels like we’re playing in the NBA Western Conference,” Shulman said. “We want to play the best. That’s why kids are coming here. We’re going to challenge them.”
