Clemson is the latest team to draw the task of trying to slow down BYU’s dominant starting lineup when the Tigers and the No. 9 Cougars clash at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday.
BYU has struggled with getting production from its thin bench. But the starting five are so explosive on offense and tough on defense that a lack of depth hasn’t mattered a ton up to this point.
Through eight games, four of BYU’s starters (7-1) are averaging 10 or more points per game.
Keba Keita became the latest starter to showcase offensive prowess. He scored 22 points — his most since transferring to BYU from Utah — to go along with 14 rebounds and three blocks in the Cougars’ 91-60 win over California Baptist on Wednesday.
All five starters scored in double figures against the Lancers with Keita leading the charge.
“It was good to see him get rewarded, because he does so much dirty work for everyone else,” BYU coach Kevin Young told KSL.com after the game.
Robert Wright III has been a steady force in getting all the starting five playing at peak efficiency. Wright dished out 11 assists against Cal Baptist — one more than the 10 assists the Lancers totaled as a team.
The Baylor transfer pulled off a similar feat in a 98-70 victory over Wisconsin. He also dished out 11 assists in that game — three more than the eight assists that the Badgers had as a team.
“It’s like I’ve said previously, I think he’s the best point guard in the country,” BYU forward AJ Dybantsa told KSL.com. “When he’s playing like that, we’re blowing teams out.”
Clemson can give the Cougars a tougher test than many of those previous opponents.
The Tigers (7-2) put a scare into Alabama before falling 90-84 on Thursday in the ACC/SEC Challenge. After trailing by as many as 19 in the first half, Clemson rallied and took an 83-81 lead on RJ Godfrey’s three-point play with 2:41 left.
Alabama held the Tigers without a basket over the final 2:40 and pulled away down the stretch. Clemson missed its last seven field-goal attempts.
“I thought our guys were a little bit on their heels,” Tigers coach Brad Brownell told The State. “I don’t really know why. I don’t know if we were nervous, anxious. We knew this would be a hard game. We knew it would be a tough environment.”
Clemson has fared well overall against other power conference teams, going 2-2 with wins over Georgia and West Virginia. Quality depth has been a critical ingredient in the team’s success. Dillon Hunter is the only player on Clemson’s roster playing at least 25 minutes per game. Brownell employs a 10-man rotation, giving the Tigers fresh legs late into games.
It’s also led to a balanced offense. Eigh Tigers average at least 7.7 points per game or better. Godfrey leads the way with 12.1 points per contest.
This is the first regular-season meeting between the two teams. Clemson is 2-0 all-time against BYU, beating the Cougars in the NCAA Tournament in 1980 and 1990.
