BYU starts it’s toughest 3 game stretch of the season, road games vs. SCU and SFU, then at home vs. the best SMC team in many years. Of the 3 games, this SC road game may be the toughest of the 3.
They are well balanced, getting good inside play and with 4 guys shooting over 40% from 3.
The game revolves around 6’5 Brandin Podziemski. He averages a team high 18.7 ppg/8.5 rebs/3.5 apg. Needless to say, SC runs their entire offense through this guy.
And Podziemski shoots 40 from 3, as do 3 other guys.
So for BYU to win, we have to defend the 3.
Lock Spencer Johnson Pidziemski just to slow him down.
Pound the ball in to Foos.
Over the past 10 games, BYU has played 87.5 net defense, ranks #7 nationally. combine that with a 102 net offense (measures protenial, not ranking, anything over 100 is good, 110 is red hot), BYU averages #37 total ranking nationally over the past 10 games.
Santa Clara averages 100 net defense (poor) but a scorching 110 on offense. rates #65 total ranking nationally last 10 games.
Podziemski had 3 bad games early this year and SC lost all three. Fast forward to the past 10 games or so, SC has had other guys step up and become prolific scorers so SC does not live or die by Podziermski as they did early on. Still, if By’s Johnson can slow him down, BYU has a good chance.
SC is the 2nd highest scoring team in the WCC behind a ridiculous Gonzaga (121 net, ranks #2 nationally) so it may be that BYU can’t generate enough points to keep up with Santa Clara at their place where 3s fall for the home team.