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BYU head coach Kevin Young talks to his team during a time out in a Big 12 men's basketball game against Texas Tech in the Marriott Center on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.

Nate Edwards, BYU Photo

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BYU's Dallin Hall makes a move to the basket against Texas Tech in a Big 12 men's basketball game at the Marriott Center on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Daily Herald

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BYU's Egor Demin leaps toward the basket in a Big 12 men's basketball game against Texas Tech at the Marriott Center on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. January 7, 2025 Photography by Nate Edwards/BYU © BYU PHOTO 2025 All Rights Reserved photo@byu.edu (801)422-7322

Nate Edwards, BYU Photo

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BYU men’s basketball has lost three straight games, so head coach Kevin Young has a lot on his mind.

First and foremost is despite the losses, are the Cougars heading in the right direction?

“It’s a question that I often reflect on,” Young said on Monday. “I’ve used this term with you guys before, but I’m constantly asking myself, ‘Are we on the right path?’ I think the path for me is defined in a couple different ways. One is, are you playing the right guys? And if so, are you playing the right combinations of guys? That’s number one.”

Young inserted senior Trevin Knell into the starting lineup against TCU and brought junior Dallin Hall off the bench. He liked how the combination of Hall, Richie Saunders, Trevin Knell, Mawot Mag and Fousseyni Traore competed against the Horned Frogs, relying on their experience and hoping young players like Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings can learn from them. Demin was on the floor for the final three minutes when the Cougars failed to score a field goal.

“Number two is schematically,” Young continued. “Are you on the right path? And so the general answer to most of those questions is ‘Yes.’ There’s some combinations that I’m still tinkering with that are holding us back. I got to get that right.”

The loss at 11th-ranked Houston wasn’t wholly unexpected but losing at home to Texas Tech and Saturday at TCU, with both games going down to the wire, has created some doubt among even the most loyal Cougar fans.

“The other part is keeping everything in perspective, and I think that’s a really important message I want to share with our guys today,” Young said. “You win those games and all of a sudden you’re 3-1 in the Big 12. But we’re not, we’re on the other side of that. And so how do we respond to that? How do we keep all that stuff into perspective, maintain our confidence and understand that this league is tough.

“Nothing’s given to us, but it is very fragile, and so I think we have to keep all that perspective while still trying to get better and addressing the things that need to get addressed. That’s the challenge of a coach, but that’s what charges me up. I can’t wait for practice today. I can’t wait to talk to my team. And I’m excited about getting through this difficult period of time.”

In his post-game comments on Saturday, Young said he wanted his team to display more grit.

“It’s playing harder than the guy in front of you, No. 1,” he explained. “Just having more of just a consistent competitive spirit. I don’t think that we’re non-competitive, but I think some of our young guys have to understand that it’s an every possession mentality, with that grit that I’m talking about. And then part of grit and mental toughness is executing the game plan, possession after possession. Those would be the two main areas.”

SCOUTING REPORT

Oklahoma State and first-year coach Steve Lutz are coming off an 83-62 loss to Utah in Salt Lake City, the Utes first win in Big 12 play. The Cowboys allowed Utah to shoot 56% from the field (30 of 54) while shooting just 33% (22 of 66) overall and 26% (6 of 23) from the 3-point line. Brandon Thompson (16 points) and Marchelus Avery (13) led OSU in scoring but combined to shoot just 11 of 26 from the field.

Lutz has rebuilt the roster with transfers (10 of them) including Avery from UCF (12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds per game) and 6-foot-9 Abou Ousmane  from Xavier. Ousmane is averaging 12.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 55% from the field.

Javon Small, who scored 34 points against BYU in the Marriott Center last year, has transferred to UCF. Sophomore guard Jayron Keller (5.5 points per game) remembers the Cougars well after putting together a perfect shooting game (8 of 8 from the field, 4 of 4 from the 3-point line) in scoring a career-high 22 points in a 93-83 win in Oklahoma City in 2024.

The Cowboys are 15th (of 16) in scoring during Big 12 action at 59.5 points per game and rank near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, including last in field goal percentage (35%). OSU is a good rebounding team, which is an area where BYU excelled in non-conference but has struggled in Big 12 play.

Tuesday starts a stretch of four games for the Cougars against teams tied or below them in the league standings.

“It’ll be nice to be back in the Marriott,” Young said. “You take three on the chin in a row, and you’ve got to be able to dig down and and have some grit and to be able to do that at home will be nice.”

Men’s College Basketball

Oklahoma State (9-6, 1-3 Big 12) at BYU (10-5, 1-3 Big 12)

Tuesday, 7 p.m. MT

Marriott Center, Provo

TV/Streaming: ESPN+

Radio: KSL 102.7 FM/1160 AM, BYU Radio

Live stats: byucougars.com

The Word: BYU leads the overall series with Oklahoma State 5-4. … The two teams split a pair of games last season, winning on their respective home floors. … BYU has lost three consecutive games for the first time since 2023, when it dropped four straight to Pepperdine, Gonzaga, Santa Clara and Saint Mary’s while competing in the West Coast Conference. … Freshman Jaxton Bobik, son of former BYU and Oklahoma State standout Daniel Bobik, is on the Cowboys roster. Jaxton’s sister, Blaykli, was a freshman on the Cougar women’s volleyball team this fall.