Just in time, what with five regular season games remaining and the Big 12 Tournament less than three weeks away.

After a dominating 91-57 victory against No. 23 Kansas on Tuesday the Cougars (18-8 overall, 9-6 Big 12) are safely in the NCAA Tournament field according to just about every conceivable bracketology expert, somewhere in the No. 9 seed to No. 11 seed range with the opportunity to rise even higher. BYU coach Kevin Young was the first interview on ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt show immediately following the win against the Jayhawks, with Young sticking to his “we’re stacking days” mantra.

ESPN College Basketball Analyst Jay Bilas had this to say about the Cougars in his Bilas Index this week, starting with a No. 32 national ranking: “Egor Demin has been a standout freshman with 11.0 PPG, 5.5 APG and 3.6 RPG to boost an offense led by Richie Saunders (15.0 PPG) that ranks 15th nationally in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings. The Cougars struggled early in Big 12 play, going 1-3 to open the conference schedule, but are 8-3 after Tuesday’s rout of Kansas before hitting the road to Arizona this Saturday — two big tests on their path to the dance.”

Bilas, by the way, still ranks Kansas (the AP preseason No. 1) at No. 15, even after getting crushed by BYU, so take that for what it’s worth.

Like most coaches, Young is certainly aware of the NCAA buzz surrounding his program but tries not to focus on it.

“I don’t really talk about a lot of that with our players,” he said. “We just try to, like I said, stack good days, but I know what the deal is. I know we need to get a win against a notable opponent, and we’ve got to continue to do that. Honestly, I’m still learning about the selection committee and this, that, and the other. I just know, just win the game, and then there’s good things that happen because of it. It is cool, though, to be on ESPN, to have people watching what we’re doing. Hopefully, people take note that need to take note.”

Stacking points

With his first 3-point basket against Kansas, graduate guard Tevin Knell became the 54th Cougar to reach the 1,000-point mark in a career.

“it means a lot, just in terms of all the hard work,” Knell said. “I feel like my career has kind of been up and down with injuries and different stuff like that. But to be able to get to 1,000, especially at home in front of a crowd like this against Kansas, it was a really special time. It just goes back to what Dallin (Hall) said, we’re playing for each other, and I think we’re really turning a corner at the right time.”

To open his news conference after the win against the Jayhawks, Young joked, “First of all, shout out to Trev. We should have started there for going over 1,000 points in his BYU career. It only took him 10 years to do it.”

Knell graduated from Woods Cross High School in 2017, served a church mission to Uruguay and joined the BYU program for the 2019-20 season. He took a redshirt year in 2022-23 due to shoulder surgery and COVID added another season of eligibility.

Scouting Report

BYU battled with Arizona for more than 30 minutes back on Feb. 4 but went through a dry spell offensively over a critical seven-minute span, missing nine straight shots late in the second half of an 85-74 loss in the Marriott Center. The Wildcats, who were ranked No. 20 at the time, are 2-2 since the victory in Provo, losing back-to-back games to Kansas State (73-70) and Houston (62-58) while beating then-No. 13 Texas Tech (82-73) and Baylor (74-67).

Arizona’s guard line, led by future NBA first-round pick Caleb Love (15.8 points per game), Jaden Bradley (11.5) and KJ Lewis (10.4), will require a lot of attention from BYU’s defense. But the Wildcats did a lot of damage inside at the last meeting with 7-foot junior Henri Veesaar and 6-8 junior Tobe Awaka, who combined for 31 points on 14 of 18 from the field, along with 15 rebounds.

“Arizona is really good, man,” Young said. “They’re super impressive. I think they’ve got a great roster and Tommy (Lloyd) is a really good coach. He’s been doing it in the college world for what seems like forever, and they’re a well-oiled machine.

“We’re a more physical team now than we were the first time we played them. They’re the most physical offensive team we’ve played. So we’ve got to do what we’ve done the last couple games, as far as meeting that physicality.”

Young also said his players are starting to believe what he’s been telling them from Day 1: They are a really good college basketball team.

“I think we’re just hitting our stride right now at the right time of the year, playing our best brand of basketball,” BYU junior guard Dallin Hall said. “We’re less concerned with the opponent in front of us and more concerned with executing our side of things, our game plan on both sides. Like I said, we’re hitting our stride and trying to put the country on notice.”

Men’s College Basketball

BYU (18-8, 9-6 Big 12) at No. 19 Arizona (18-8, 12-3 Big 12)

Saturday, 8 p.m. MT

McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz.

TV/Streaming: ESPN

Radio: KSL 102.7 FM/1160 AM, BYU Radio

Live stats: byucougars.com

The Word: Arizona leads the overall series with BYU 21-19. … The Wildcats won 85-74 in Provo on Feb. 4. … The last time the Cougars played in Tucson, Jimmer Fredette scored a school record 49 points in a 99-69 blowout victory. … BYU ranks first in the Big 12 and 10th nationally in effective field goal percentage (.570). … Arizona is second offensively in Big 12 play at 77.7 points per game.