Cougar Insiders

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No. 9 BYU will attempt to start the Big 12 undefeated this week with games against Arizona State at home on Wednesday and a trip to Salt Lake City to face the Runnin’ Utes on Saturday. They’ll do it with the nation’s leading scorer, AJ Dybantsa, leading the way.

The Cougars are fighting for a high seed in the Big 12 tournament and are in far better shape to beat their No. 3 seed of last year than a year ago. The challenge will be to find a path through a conference that has seven teams ranked in the AP Top 25. This week, Arizona, Iowa State, Houston and BYU are in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll, and Texas Tech, Kansas and UCF are in the top 25.

The Cougars are fresh off an opening-league win at Kansas State where the Cougars held the Wildcats to one 3-pointer, its lowest 3-point output of the season.

BYU has had G League center Abdullah Ahmed for several games now. What do you believe his impact has been with brief evidence and how do you project him impacting Kevin Young’s squad heading into the second part of the season and Big 12 play?

Jay Drew: BYU probably would have defeated Kansas State last Saturday without the most recent addition to Kevin Young’s No. 9-ranked basketball team, but there will be Big 12 games in the future where big man Abdullah “Biddo” Ahmed will be needed big-time.

The Egyptian by way of the NBA G League’s Westchester (New York) Knicks showed in 12 minutes of play in the 83-73 win over K-State that he will be a valuable backup for the foul-prone Keba Keita moving forward. Ahmed not only gives BYU five more fouls in the middle, he is an above-average rim protector. Obviously, Keita is a phenomenal rim protector. Ahmed blocked three shots against the Wildcats, while also scoring 4 points in the second half when the Wildcats were making a mild comeback.

BYU isn’t nearly as post-reliant this year as it was last year — Fouss Traore will be missed, obviously — with AJ Dybantsa, Richie Saunders and Rob Wright forming the nucleus of the team. But there will be times when Kevin Young’s team needs a low-post scorer, when matchups are favorable for that, and Ahmed might just be the best option in that regard.

Another factor to consider is Keita’s subpar free-throw shooting. He was 3 of 6 from the stripe against K-State, and now 19 of 30 (63.3%) on the year. Opponents might try the ol’ Hack-a-Keita late in close games. But the same could apply to Ahmed, who is 1 of 2 from the free-throw line, having attempted both in his debut against Eastern Washington.

Last year, Ahmed was 2 of 8 from the line for Westchester, and in the 2023-24 season he was 14 of 27.

BYU’s best free-throw shooting big man is 6-foot-10 senior Mihailo Boskovic, who is 28 of 34 (82%) in his BYU career.

Dick Harmon: No question, the addition of Abdullah Ahmed is a key part of Kevin Young’s plan in Big 12 play. The big body, the rim protection, the rebounding and additional five fouls to give will prove key. Add that to the utility of center/forward Khadim Mboup and Mihailo Boskovic with Keita’s elite athleticism and it will be fun to see how these players are deployed.

But, inside all the rim protecting, depth with fouls to give, rebounding and just simple leaning of BYU big bodies on other opponents’ big men, I like how the pick-and-roll and screen game has developed with Young and his staff. This is elevating BYU’s guards, especially Robert Wright III and guard/forward AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders to be the most efficient rim drivers in the country.

According to @JGTrends, BYU leads the country in percentage of ball screen keeps, rim attempt rate and rim finishing. This trio has the most efficient scoring in the country and much of that is due to the screens set by big men. Keita, especially, has been very efficient at blocking out lanes for BYU’s dribblers to finish close to the basket. If Ahmed can get his chemistry and timing down with the pick-and-roll action, it will be fun to watch.

Finally, the use of these big men, while they are not top-end offensive weapons, illustrates to recruits what Young is pitching, that he can prepare them for what they can expect in the NBA, making reads, screens and picks at the next level.

With BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill leaving for Michigan and taking cornerback coach and pass defense coordinator Jernaro Gilford with him, there’s been a huge shakeup in the state of Utah with Kyle Whittingham taking the Michigan head coaching job. Here is my weekend commentary on all the moving around, which has changed almost daily for a week.

Here are a few of our stories on the coaching changes and transfer portal movement in football:

Here’s who’s going and staying (Jackson Payne)

Departures show strength of program (Dave McCann)

Hill, Gilford join Michigan staff (Jackson Payne)

Lee Cummard’s BYU women registered an upset of Arizona State and continues to roll with Delaney Gibb back from injury

Comments from Deseret News readers:

Well Kevin Young said it... He said it can be a good thing but it is “situational”.….. This entire college sports is crazy and is situational. It’s good as long as it works for ME. I know Calipari had his issues and suspicion around him cheating, but I do agree with what he has said about it … The NCAA is a joke and doesn’t really have set and standard rules. These guys have created a situation that I don’t know how it can be repaired. No salary caps, one and dones are more regular than not, “free agency” is a joke. There are no rules!!!

Charles Barkley chimed in as well and states that the talent in the NBA is not what it used to be because these players are not being developed like they used to be. AGREED. That is why we are seeing more and more thugs in the NBA. It’s too hard to watch anymore.

— IndyCoug

What I don’t get is a coach leaving for better pay, and a higher opportunity that reporter writes. BYU and Utah both had great seasons, and both programs are working to achieve to be the best. Why do coordinators want to jump to Michigan? Yes, I know they have won the national title, but they’re not at that level now; I would argue both Utah schools were on a par with them. I think there should be top-notch funds with BYU’s well-heeled boosters, and Utah’s new deal should have them set up nicely. If it’s a matter of money, both schools need to match funds with the supposed big names, or they will always be a step behind.

— MontgomeryRuss

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