NC State will get another chance in its "revenge tour" in facing Brigham Young at 3:30 p.m. today on FOX in San Diego, Calif.
NC State lost 71-61 to Purdue on Thursday, while BYU fell 96-85 to Ole Miss in overtime. The Cougars are off to a 5-1 start, and return four key cogs from last year's team that played against the Wolfpack.
The Cougars shot lights out from deep to rally past NC State 95-86 in Las Vegas, Nev., last year. BYU shot 14 of 34 on three-pointers with coach Mark Pope on the sideline. Pope is now at Kentucky and has been replaced by former NBA assistant coach Kevin Young.
Overview
BYU returns junior combo guard Dallin Hall, a senior, junior wing Richie Saunders, senior shooting guard Trevin Knell and senior center Fousseyni Traore from last year’s 23-10 squad.
The Cougars landed three freshmen last spring/summer — guard Egor Demin of Moscow, Russia, forward Mihailo Boskovic of Serbia and wing Kanan Catchings of Brownsburg, Ind.
Utah transfer Keba Keita, a junior center, and senior power forward Mawot Mag from Rutgers.
Rankings
BYU finished No. 12 in the NET rankings last year, and NC State was No. 63.
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) has the Cougars ranked No. 28 overall, and the Wolfpack are No. 46.
KenPom.com has BYU at No. 36, and NCSU checks in at No. 59.
Shooting
Brigham Young is averaging 90.0 points per game, and are shooting 49.9 percent shooting from the field, 35.0 percent on three-point shooting and 65.8 percent at the free-throw line.
Demin leads BYU with 46.9 percent (15 of 32) and Knell is second at 40.6 percent. Demin, Knell, Catchings and Saunders have all made at least 11 three-pointers.
Rebounding
The Cougars are averaging 42.5 rebounds a contest and have a plus-13.3 rebounding margin. BYU has 84 offensive rebounds this season, with Traore powering his way to 23, and Keita has 14.
Keita is averaging 9.6 rebounds per game in 18 minutes, and Traore is right behind with 8.3.
Defense
BYU is allowing 65.8 points per game with opposing teams shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 35.0 percent on three-pointers.
The Cougars have an impressive 33 blocks with both Traore and Catchings blocking seven apiece. Demin leads the way with 13 steals and Saunders has 10.
Depth
Having a productive veteran such as Traore come off the bench is rare. He is averaging 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Wing Dawson Baker, Boskovic and Mag also regularly play off the bench. Baker is averaging 7.2 points per game and is shooting 36.8 percent on three-pointers.
Star Watch
BYU freshman guard Egor Demin has become the darling of NBA scouts.
Demin plays a variety of roles for the Cougars at 6-foot-9 and 190 pounds. He’s originally from Moscow, Russia, and the 18-year-old played last year with Real Madrid B. He averaged 13.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last year.
Demin elected to come to the U.S. and attend BYU. Demin leads BYU with 15.3 points, 6.7 assists and 2.2 steals, and he chips in 3.8 rebounds a contest. He is shooting an impressive 46.9 percent from three-point land (15 of 32) and 58.6 percent from the field.
Ole Miss was much more aggressive defensively Thursday, and Denim was 2 of 9 on three-pointers en route to 16 points and four assists in a 96-85 overtime loss.
Denim has scored in double figures in all but one game, and he had a season-high 20 points in a 86-80 win over UC-Riverside on Nov. 8.
Demin prefers to have the ball in his hands and is creative with his passing, which makes him do best in pick and rolls.
Likely starters
NC State
PG — 12 Michael O’Connell (6-2, 195, Sr., 6.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.5 spg)
SG — 8 Jayden Taylor (6-4, 195, Sr., 14.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.0 spg)
G — 10 Marcus Hill (6-4, 185, Sr., 11.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.8 apg)
F — 3 Dontrez Styles (6-6, 210, Sr., 8.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.5 apg)
C — 1 Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (6-10, 240, Sr., 11.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Brigham Young
PG — 3 Egor Demin (6-9, Fr., 15.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.7 apg, 2.2 spg)
SG — 15 Richie Saunders (6-5, 200, Jr., 14.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.7 spg)
G — 30 Dallin Hall (6-4, 200, Jr., 6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.0 spg)
F— 6 Kanon Catchings (6-9, Fr., 12.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.2 bpg)
C — 13 Keba Keita (6-8, 231, Jr., 7.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Numbers Of Note
4 BYU players who have had their jersey’s retired — Mel Hutchins (1947-51), Roland Minson (1948-51), Kresimir Cosic (1970-73) and Danny Ainge (1977-81).
31 NCAA Tournament appearances including two trips to the Elite Eight and five times the Cougars have made the Sweet 16.
2,720 Career points for all-time leading BYU scorer Tyler Haws, who 2009-10, and 2012-15.
Game within the game: BYU's Fousseyni Traore vs. NC State's Brandon Huntley-Hatfield
Fousseyni Traore has been a key cog all four years at BYU.
The 6-6, 240-pounder is averaging 13.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game this season, and is shooting 69.6 percent from the field. He isn’t a three-point threat, but he can post up and deliver on the block.
Traore wasn’t an impact player against NC State last year, getting hurt six minutes into the game. He came off the bench for the Cougars in two-thirds of the games he played in (26 games), and averaged 10.9 points and 5.2 boards a contest. He is still coming off the bench this season.
Traore had 16 points and six rebounds in the loss against Ole Miss. The Mali native destroyed Idaho for 29 points and nine rebounds, and went 11 of 12 from the field.
Traore will likely battle against NC State centers Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and Ben Middlebrooks, who both played well in the first half against Purdue, but then faded. They combined to go 9 of 15 for 22 points and 13 rebounds.
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