Did BYU coach Mark Pope just say his Cougars were going to play pressure defense in 2022-23?

Yes, you heard correctly.

Pope’s teams have always played defense to varying degrees of success, but this season could bring something a little bit different on that end of the floor.

“The team has a unique sense of bringing disruption on defense,” Pope said on Thursday at West Coast Conference Media Day in Las Vegas. “I played that way when I was in college so it’s near and dear to me. We haven’t had a roster like that at BYU but we’re pushing in that direction. This group has a chance to cause some chaos on the defensive end and that’s super exciting for us.”

The Cougars, with 12 new players on the roster, have been picked third in the WCC’s Preseason Coaches Poll behind perennial champion Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. BYU actually tied with San Francisco for third with 57 votes.

“There’s something special this roster can put on the floor,” Pope said. “It’s an equal opportunity on offense and defense. That’s what these guys are living right now. We have to find guys that can step up in crucial moments, but I think it makes us more dangerous and difficult to scout.”

BYU sophomore Fousseyni Traore was one of two underclassmen named to the 10 player All-WCC preseason team after picking up all-freshman accolades in 2021-22.

“If we’re going to be big time we’re going to have to come and show up every single day,” Traore said. “We have a lot of good guys. My coaches show me how to get better every single day. Whatever the team needs us to do, we do so we can win. The whole team has to do that and support each other. That’s how we’re going to win games.”

Traore had one of the best freshman campaigns in program history in 2021-22 where he broke various school records. The native of Bamako, Mali averaged 9.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, shooting 58.9 percent from the field and 74.4 percent from the free throw line.

In 33 games including 21 starts, he pulled down a program record 280 rebounds including 93 on the offensive glass. His nine double-doubles were the second-most by a freshman in program history with his 42 blocks putting him third on the list. He also owns the freshman record for rebounds in a game after his 25-point, 19-rebound performance in the regular season finale against Pepperdine.

Gonzaga, with three players (Rasir Bolton, Julian Strawther and Drew Timme) on the preseason All-WCC team, collected nine of the ten first-place votes from the league’s coaches, with Saint Mary’s securing the other one.

The Cougars open the 2022-23 season at the friendly confines of the Marriott Center with an exhibition game against NAIA school Ottawa (Ariz.) on November 2. The season officially gets underway with a game vs. Idaho State on Nov. 7 in the Marriott Center.

WCC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

(First-place votes in parenthesis)

1 Gonzaga (9) 81

2 Saint Mary’s (1) 73

3. BYU 57

San Francisco 57

5 Portland 48

6 Santa Clara 43

7 Pepperdine 33

8 San Diego 31

9 Loyola Marymount 17

10 Pacific 10

Men’s Basketball Preseason All-WCC Team

Rasir Bolton, Sr. G, Gonzaga

Alex Ducas, Sr. F, Saint Mary’s

Logan Johnson, Sr. G, Saint Mary’s

Keshawn Justice, Sr. F, Santa Clara

Houston Mallette, So. G, Pepperdine

Tyler Robertson, Jr. F, Portland

Khalil Shabazz, Sr. G, San Francisco

Julian Strawther, Jr. G, Gonzaga

Drew Timme, Sr. F, Gonzaga

Fousseyni Traore, So. F, BYU

Newsletter