BYU Basketball Continues Homestand Against UC Riverside

Nov 7, 2024, 11:29 PM

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PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball under Kevin Young is starting the 2024-25 season strong.

After defeating Central Arkansas 88-50 in the season-opener, BYU will welcome UC Riverside from the Big West Conference to the Marriott Center on Friday night.

It’s the second of a five-game homestand to open the season for BYU, who is ranked in the Top 20 of the KenPom ratings entering the game.

BYU vs. UC Riverside: How To Watch, Listen

Date: Friday, November 8, 2024

Location: Marriott Center

Tip-Off: 7 p.m. (MST)

TV: ESPN+

Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)

Fabulous Freshmen lead BYU basketball

BYU freshmen Kanon Catchings and Egor Demin shined in their college debuts earlier this week.

The freshman tandem combined to score 35 points and hit eight threes between the two of them.

Kevin Young wants to see growth out of Catchings on the defensive end of the floor. The Brownsburg, Indiana native had two blocks in his BYU debut.

“He’s a gifted scorer. If he can guard, the sky’s the limit for him,” Young said on Catchings.

Demin became only the second player in Big 12 history to produce 10+ points and 10+ assists in a freshman debut. He joined NBA All-Star Trae Young as the only players in league history to accomplish that stat line in their first college game.

Personnel notes

BYU was without Dallin Hall in the season opener against Central Arkansas.

“We’re taking an approach through the medical team that once he’s back, he’s back,” Young said on Hall. “We don’t want to have him one day out the next. So that’s kind of the approach there.”

We’ll see if Hall can go on Friday night.

Demin, freshman Elijah Crawford, and redshirt junior Dawson Baker handled the point guard spot in the opener.

Returning veteran Richie Saunders shined in the season opener. The former Wasatch Academy standout, who turned down an opportunity to join Mark Pope at Kentucky this past offseason, scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the opener.

“I love the guy,” Young said on Saunders. “He does everything you ask. His motor is incredible. I thought he actually got us going a little bit offensively with some of his drives to the basket and just his point of attacks. He’s been a really good force in training camp early on, and I was happy to see his efficiency out there.”

Getting to know the UC Riverside Highlanders

UC Riverside comes into Friday night’s matchup at the Marriott Center with a 0-1 record.

The Highlanders lost their season opener at new Big Ten member Oregon, 91-76.

UC Riverside was tied with the Ducks through the first 10 minutes of action, but Oregon pulled away in the final 10 minutes of the first half, led by former McDonald’s All-American Kwame Evans, who scored 23 points.

Preseason All-Big West performer sophomore Barrington Hargress led the Highlanders with 20 points.

With Hargress and returning lettermen Nate Pickens and Isaiah Moses, the Highlanders have one of the best backcourts in the Big West this season.

UC Riverside was picked to finish fourth in the preseason Big West poll but did receive one first-place vote from one of the coaches in the league.

BYU/UC Riverside Projections

  • KenPom: BYU 85, UC Riverside 67 (95% chance of BYU win)
  • ESPN BPI: 96.9% win probability
  • Bart Torvik: BYU 85, UC Riverside 68 (93% chance of BYU win)
  • Haslam Metrics: BYU 83, UC Riverside 66

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

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BYU Basketball Continues Homestand Against UC Riverside