Central Arkansas Bears vs. Brigham Young Cougars Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 5th 2024

Preview and Prediction

BYU commences its second season in the Big 12 with a fresh head coach and heightened expectations for success.

Kevin Young will make his debut as the leader of the Cougars when they welcome Central Arkansas on Tuesday in Provo, Utah.

Young previously served as the associate head coach for the Phoenix Suns before being hired to fill the vacancy left by Mark Pope, who departed for Kentucky.

There has been a noticeable buzz surrounding the program since Young's arrival.

He quickly bolstered the roster with a number of talented freshmen and transfers. Among these new additions are Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings, both of whom are projected to be first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Keba Keita (Utah) and Mawot Mag (Rutgers) are key transfers who will add defensive strength to BYU's lineup.

They join a seasoned and dynamic core that includes Dallin Hall, Trevin Knell, Fousseyni Traore, and Richie Saunders.

"BYU had a solid foundation with some exceptional players who achieved unprecedented success in their first year in the Big 12, so I believe that will help with my transition and give us a great starting point to build upon," Young stated.

In the preseason, BYU was predicted to finish ninth in the Big 12 after tying for fifth with Kansas last season with a record of 10-8 (23-11 overall). While the Cougars received votes in the preseason Top 25 AP Poll, they will once again have to prove their doubters wrong for a second consecutive year.

Scoring should not be an issue for BYU this season. The Cougars bring back 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 will love our style of play," Knell expressed. "There's a lot of freedom to find your shots and exploit the weaknesses in the defense."

Central Arkansas stands at the opposite end of the basketball spectrum compared to BYU.

The Bears only managed to win nine games last season and finished 11th in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Elias Cato and Glory Etim are the returning starters from that team. Cato was the second-highest scorer last season (11.9 ppg) and Etim was the top rebounder (7.5 rpg).

New head coach John Shulman will make his debut for the Bears in Provo. Shulman previously held a record of 112-39 in five seasons at Division II Alabama-Huntsville.

Central Arkansas will face five power-conference opponents in the regular season, including BYU. They will also take on Utah, Georgia Tech, Arkansas, and Oklahoma in November and December.

"It feels like we're playing in the NBA Western Conference," Shulman remarked. "We want to compete against the best. That's why our players chose to come here. We're going to challenge them."

PREDICTION

Central Arkansas Bears

Brigham Young Cougars

Central Arkansas Bears vs. Brigham Young Cougars Recap NOV 5TH 2024

Egor Demin scored 18 points and dished out 11 assists in his collegiate debut while leading BYU to an 88-50 win over Central Arkansas in the season opener for both teams at Provo, Utah, on Tuesday night.

Demin set a BYU freshman record for most assists in a debut game. Richie Saunders added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Kanon Catchings chipped in 17 points in his debut for the Cougars. Keba Keita had a team-high 10 rebounds.

BYU recorded a 23-2 edge in second-chance points, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds, and the Cougars outscored the Bears 36-16 in the paint.

Elias Cato led Central Arkansas with 21 points. The Bears committed 18 turnovers that led to 24 points for BYU, and they shot just 34.5 percent from the field.

BYU repeatedly attacked from the perimeter throughout the first half but struggled to knock down outside shots. The Cougars hit just 7 of 23 attempts (30.4 percent) from 3-point range before halftime and took awhile to get going on offense as a result.

Stingy defense kept Central Arkansas at arm's length when the Bears threatened early.

Cole McCormick dunked to cut BYU's lead to 13-12. Then Central Arkansas went seven minutes without scoring a basket. The Bears committed seven turnovers and missed four shots during that stretch.

It opened the door for BYU to take control.

The Cougars scored baskets on five straight possessions to fuel a 15-2 run. Saunders and Keita powered the surge with a pair of baskets apiece. Fousseyni Traore finished things off with a dunk that put BYU up 33-17.

Once the Cougars got rolling, Central Arkansas struggled to get back in the game. BYU closed the first half on an 11-1 run punctuated by a 3-pointer from Demin to take a 46-23 halftime lead.