BYU vs. Pepperdine Game Preview
By James Pigott
Jan 9, 2014; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Tyler Haws (3) and Pepperdine Waves guard Jeremy Major (3) go for a loose ball during the first half at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Pepperdine Waves (9-5, 2-1) @ BYU Cougars (13-4, 3-1)
Date: Thursday, January 8, 2015
Location: Marriott Center, Provo, UT
Time: 9:00 PM MT
TV: ESPNU
Livestream: WatchESPN
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=68977
PROJECTED STARTERS
BYU
Kyle Collinsworth, 13.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 5.9 APG
Tyler Haws, 21.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG
Chase Fischer, 13.8 PPG
Anson Winder, 14.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG
Luke Worthington, 2.9 PPG
Pepperdine
Jeremy Major, 9.6 PPG, 3.6 APG
Shawn Olden, 10.1 PPG
Atif Russell, 8.4 PPG
Stacy Davis, 15.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG
Jett Raines, 10.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Keys to the Game for BYU
Kyle Collinsworth will have a tough defensive assignment guarding Stacy Davis. While KC is a very strong player, but he’ll be giving up 35 pounds to Davis, who will look to beat him up in the post. BYU will also need to make sure they are guarding the 3 point line, as Jeremy Major and Atif Russell both shoot well over 40% from beyond the arc. While shooting limited attempts, Jett Raines shoots over 50% from distance, so Luke Worthington and Corbin Kaufusi will have to step out and guard a more mobile shooter in Raines. As always, BYU’s success is heavily reliant on their ability to make outside shots. If they can get out in transition and keep the Marriott Center crowd into it, the Cougars should be fine.
Keys to the Game for Pepperdine
Davis and Raines, the Waves’ two undersized big men, will need to have big rebounding efforts against Kyle Collinsworth and the much taller BYU centers. Pepperdine will want to slow down the tempo on offense and keep the game under control with point guards Major and Amadi Udenyi. They can’t shoot quickly or turn the ball over too much because that will play right into the hands of BYU, who will use those mistakes to start their transition games and put the game away quickly. Just ask Santa Clara or San Francisco. Lamond Murray, Jr has been playing well off the bench, so if he gets quality minutes and makes a big impact on offense, the Waves might be able to stay with BYU for a while
Prediction
Pepperdine is a team on the rise under 4th year coach Marty Wilson, but they haven’t quite reached the level where they can go into Provo and get a victory, unless something extraordinary happens. BYU just has too much offensive explosion and the Waves aren’t a team like Utah that can hold them in the 60s. BYU should win this game pulling away at the end, 86-67.