BYU 1-on-1: What did the Cougars show by winning at Colorado?
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- BYU’s Richie Saunders (15) and Egor Demin greet fans at Colorado’s CU Events Center in Boulder after an 83-67 victory on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.
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- BYU’s Keba Keita (13) dunks against Colorado in a Big 12 men’s basketball game in Boulder, Colo., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.
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- Players on the BYU bench celebrate a 3-pointer in a Big 12 men’s basketball game against Colorado in Boulder on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.
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- BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake (right) poses for a photo with his dad, Tom Sitake, during a celebration dinner in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.
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- Junior setter Tyler Herget (3) came off the bench to lead No. 5 BYU to a 3-2 victory at No. 6 Ball State on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Daily Herald sports writers Darnell Dickson and Jared Lloyd give their opinions on the hot BYU sports topics this week:
1. What was the biggest factor in BYU men’s basketball getting their first road win of the season by thrashing Colorado?
DICKSON: It was a weird game defensively for the Cougars. Colorado shot 75% from the field for most of the first half then went 12 minutes of game time without a field goal. You’d have to chalk some of that up to poor shot selection by the Buffs but I suppose some credit needs to go to the BYU defense.
Kevin Young and the coaching staff spends a lot of time talking to the team about which opposing players they want shooting the ball and from where. Playing the percentages and making your opponent go away from where they can be most successful is the game plan.
You saw that because once the Cougars got the big lead Colorado was much more efficient offensively by getting inside the paint. The starting group that went on the huge second half run — Richie Saunders, Egor Demin, Mawot Mag, Trevin Knell and Keba Keita — is pretty good defensively, especially Mag and Keita.
As BYU goes forward, I’d like to see this group get the majority of minutes because their defense against Colorado caused turnovers (in the first half, too) and took advantage of transition opportunities, where Demin’s passing was excellent.
LLOYD: Every time I watch the Cougars play this season, I see flashes of what this team is capable of accomplishing on the hardwood. The problem is those flashes are often too short or counterbalanced by stretches of ineptitude.
Tuesday’s game in Boulder wasn’t an exception to that, but this time the stretch of really good basketball was more than enough to get BYU the win. That certainly hasn’t always been the case this year, particularly on the road.
With 5:44 left in the first half, the Cougars trailed Colorado 32-22 and I was wondering if the OT loss at Utah was going to be too much of a hangover to overcome.
Then for 10 minutes of basketball, BYU looked brilliant as it blitzed the Buffaloes on a 39-6 run and that was really the ball game. That was the first time the Cougars really dominated for a long stretch when in someone else’s gym, which was good to see.
2. Who was the unsung hero of the win at Colorado?
LLOYD: I’m going to give credit to Egor Demin for putting together one of his better overall games, in my view. No, he didn’t score a ton (just eight points) but he managed things effectively for much of the contest.
His stat line was efficient with 4-of-7 shooting, seven assists with just two turnovers, four steals, two rebounds and two blocks. I thought that, unlike some other recent games, BYU was more comfortable when Demin was on the floor.
He let the game come to him a little more, something that I’ve seen him have a tough time doing at times. And it’s hard to blame someone with his talents for pushing things at times, but he’s better when he has a good flow and is seeing things two steps ahead.
DICKSON: One of the hardest things to do as a college basketball player is to be ready for your moment even when you aren’t getting a lot of playing time. Mihailo Boskovic got 12 minutes at Houston then didn’t play for three straight games and got just three minutes at Utah last Saturday.
He played only eight minutes against Colorado and had one point, three rebounds and one assist. But his size and hustle made a difference on both ends of the court, so much so that Young mentioned his name in the post-game as a big factor.
For a young player, those minutes are really important because he’s showing coaches he can be counted on whenever he’s needed.
3. Is Richie Saunders a legit NBA prospect?
DICKSON: Young seems to think so and he’s had a lot of experience coaching in the NBA. Talking heads calling BYU games on ESPN seem to think so, too. There’s a lot to like about Richie, from his shooting to his intensity and everything else he brings to the court.
I think his defense can still improve and I’d like to see some better consistency in his performance. I’m willing to step back from that a bit because for the first time in his career he’s kind of “The Guy” for the Cougars and drawing a lot of attention in opponent’s game plans. That takes some adjusting.
No one will dispute that Saunders was fantastic against Colorado. BYU was down 10 in the first half when he took over the game and willed the Cougars back into it. He has such a well-rounded game offensively and can really score in a lot of ways. I’m pretty certain he’s benefiting from the pro experience on the BYU staff and will continue to get a lot of looks from NBA scouts.
LLOYD: I don’t think Saunders will be an NBA superstar but I think he has the tools to be a solid supporting piece on teams that have other elite talents.
His biggest calling card is his motor. He’s going to give everything he’s got when he’s on the floor at both ends. That means getting on the floor after loose balls, hounding opposing ball-handlers and relentlessly going after rebounds.
He is a good shooter now, but I think he still has to prove he can be the kind of spot-up gunner that pro teams seem so in love with these days, particularly from NBA range. He’s going to have to prove he can elevate his game to another level to earn playing time at the next level.
I think it’s likely that he’ll start as a G League guy and if he’s able to excel there, he’ll earn some opportunities. Then it will be up to him to make the most of them.
4. What is the most important skill BYU football coach Kalani Sitake possesses?
LLOYD: It’s actually pretty simple: He cares — and everyone knows he cares.
Ask anyone who is around Sitake, from players to coaches to administration to recruits to fans to families to peers to media, and they will tell you that they feel like they matter to Sitake. It’s a skill Sitake saw in his head coach at BYU, Hall-of-Famer LaVell Edwards, and he embraced it.
I appreciate how that mentality isn’t about being soft or getting walked over. He knows that the best thing he can do for the people around them is hold them accountable at a high level to push them to be their best.
It’s one of the things that makes him a perfect fit for the Cougars, since BYU as an institution emphasizes the importance of things beyond just on-field success.
DICKSON: A word I keep hearing from recruits and fellow coaches alike is “relationships.” Sitake is a master at building relationships with everyone he meets. Even recruits who choose to go elsewhere.
I talked to BYU Director of Player Personnel Justin Anderson for a story before the bowl game and he said the Cougars like to mine the transfer portal for players they’ve already developed relationships with, and Sitake is front and center with that. If you look at BYU’s portal adds this winter, most of them are players BYU recruited previously.
Sitake doesn’t burn bridges and I think that’s going to pay off wonderfully in the long run. Plus, he eased into a very strong relationship with Colorado coach Deion Sanders, who’s antics and flash can challenge the best of opposing coaches.
5. How excited should BYU fans be about the undefeated (at least as of Wednesday afternoon) men’s volleyball team?
DICKSON: In BYU’s 6-0 start (the Cougars play at No. 2 UC Irvine on Wednesday and Friday this week) I’ve been impressed with this team’s resolve. BYU swept newcomer St. Thomas Aquinas College twice, as expected, but road victories at No. 11 Ohio State (both by 3-1 set scores) and No. 6 Ball State (both 3-2, including a reverse sweep on the first night) has shown this group is mentally tough.
Volleyball is such a game of momentum and if your opponent gets it, you’d better figure out a way to get it back. Shawn Olmstead’s crew has shown that ability in spades.
I saw all four road matches and I believe Ohio State and Ball State are pretty good teams. As a matter of fact, the Buckeyes knocked off No. 1 UCLA 3-1 last week. BYU’s non-conference schedule is absolutely brutal and it’s likely the Cougars could pick up a loss or two along the way. But I believe this team has a really good shot at getting back to the Final Four.
LLOYD: On an excitement scale of 1 to 10, I think Cougar supporters should be at about a 7 at this point of the season.
BYU has found a way to win some matches that I think the Cougars likely would’ve lost in the last few years. This is a team that has shown it can be good on the attack, on the block, at the service line and on defense.
But it’s too early to get too hyped up, particularly considering that as of Wednesday afternoon BYU had yet to take on a truly elite opponent. That changes this week as the Cougars play at No. 2-ranked UC Irvine and I expect there will be some tough times in those matches.
If BYU can find ways to beat the Anteaters twice, my excitement level goes up to 8, whereas a split would keep it at 7 and a loss drops it to about 6.5. But that’s a great barometer here early in the season.
