{"id":113338,"date":"2025-06-21T01:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T01:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/113338\/"},"modified":"2025-06-21T01:00:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T01:00:17","slug":"byu-basketball-mailbag-ncaa-tournament-prospects-recruiting-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/113338\/","title":{"rendered":"BYU Basketball Mailbag: NCAA Tournament Prospects, Recruiting, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are now in win-or-go-home mode of the college basketball season. BYU<\/a> plays its first Big 12 Tournament<\/a> game Thursday in hopes to improve NCAA Tournament seeding and then will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday, March 20.<\/p>\n

Thanks for all your questions. I\u2019ll also answer some in the next Rise and Hoop podcast<\/a>, which is currently YouTube Only.<\/p>\n

Do you feel like this team is better equipped to make a tourney run than past teams? If so, why? <\/p>\n

Do you feel like this team is better equipped to make a tourney run than past teams? If so, why?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jake Lee (@JakeLeei) March 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The short answer is yes. And now for the explanation.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s team was good. You don\u2019t win 23 games and finish as a 6 seed in the Big 12 unless you are good. One of the main reasons for optimism last year was that BYU was battled tested through 20 Big 12 games (regular season plus tournament) and would be ready to handle whatever was thrown at them as a result.<\/p>\n

The main difference between this year\u2019s and last year\u2019s team is some of the individual players and how BYU is better situationally. Both teams play well to modern analytics \u2014 they shoot a lot of threes and shots at the rim. Analytics are super important, but they manifest themselves better at the macro-level over the course of a season. If you shoot a lot of threes, over the course of the season you\u2019ll have your ebbs and flows but you can win a lot of games. The problem with analytics is that you can hit your lull in an isolated setting in one game. And one game is all it takes to go home in March. In a one-game setting, you need to be good situationally, have guys that can get their own buckets, and guys that can stop the other team\u2019s best players from getting buckets.<\/p>\n

Jaxson Robinson\u2019s NCAA Tournament performance notwithstanding, BYU lacked go-to scorers in key moments. That was manifested by BYU have zero players on any of the three All-Big 12 teams last season. BYU\u2019s defense was also assignment sound, but they lacked a rim protector and elite perimeter defenders when opposing players broke down their defense. Duquesne had two good isolation scorers that BYU struggled to defend and that ultimately cost them.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s team is better in both of those facets. Richie Saunders can manufacture baskets and Egor Demin is an elite passer and can manufacture good looks for others. BYU doesn\u2019t have an AJ Dybantsa type player on this team yet, but Kevin Young can scheme open shots and BYU has players that can score late in the shot clock.<\/p>\n

The second difference is defense. This year\u2019s and last year\u2019s team rate virtually the same in KenPom defensive efficiency, but BYU has better individual defenders this season. Keba Keita has proven to be an elite rim protector over the past month, which is important when opposing players break down your base defense. BYU didn\u2019t have a rim protector like Keba last year. <\/p>\n

Mawot Mag is the other major difference. Mag can be put on the opposing team\u2019s best player from any position 1 through 4 and make life difficult for him. When games get more iso heavy, Mag has proven that he can guard opposing players in those situations.<\/p>\n

Iowa State<\/a>\u2019s last defensive possession was a perfect example of what BYU can be situationally. Mawot Mag denied the dribble penetration and forced a pass from Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State\u2019s best isolation scorer, and Trey Stewart contested Momcilovic on the final shot. <\/p>\n

Every team BYU plays the rest of the way is capable of beating them, but I believe BYU is as equipped as they ever have in the history of the program to advance in the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n

Any Kanon Catchings updates?<\/p>\n

Kevin Young has said that Catchings is day-day-day after suffering a knee injury versus West Virginia. Two sources familiar with the situation have told me that Kanon Catchings is \u201c50\/50\u201d to play in the Big 12 Tournament.<\/p>\n

This next part is my own personaltake. Due to BYU\u2019s depth and time of year we are in, if Kanon does play the rest of the year I think he\u2019ll have a short leash. BYU\u2019s ceiling with Kanon is certainly higher and he is an elite shot maker when he is on, but BYU can\u2019t afford 5-minute stretches of subpar play from Kanon if he\u2019s not fully ready. I wouldn\u2019t be surprised to see him suit up again and be available, but Kevin Young likely won\u2019t ease Kanon in \u2014 he needs to contribute as soon as he steps on the floor.<\/p>\n

What positions do you believe they will be looking for in the portal?<\/p>\n

Who are we looking at internationally? Haven\u2019t heard much.<\/p>\n

Jumping the gun here, but how many open roster spots do you expect BYU to be operating with this offseason? Departing seniors minus incoming freshman leaves the count at 2 spots currently, if I\u2019m not mistaken.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House of BYU (@HouseofBYU) March 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

What positions do you believe they will be looking for in the portal?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Anonymous Anonymizer (@JonathanLingo) March 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Who are we looking at internationally? Haven’t heard much.<\/p>\n

\u2014 John Moore (@owyhee501) March 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t want to spend a ton of time talking about next season\u2019s team until this season is over, but got a ton of questions so I\u2019ll talk some here.<\/p>\n

BYU graduates four seniors and has two freshmen slated to join next season \u2014 AJ Dybantsa and Xavion. Egor could surprise us and stay, but I\u2019ve had him gone to the NBA for the whole year. Every roster in college basketball is year-to-year and BYU is no different; there will be transfers out of BYU\u2019s program as they search for different opportunities. BYU should return a really good core. I expect Richie Saunders, Dallin Hall, Keba Keita, and Dawson Baker to return. That\u2019s not to say I don\u2019t expect other players to return, but that core I think will be back.<\/p>\n

For the internationally piece specifically, BYU has been talking to several guys for months now. Serbia wing Andrej Kostic is one I\u2019ve been monitoring, but I think he has faded due to his buyout. Between his buyout and NIL, industry sources have told me he would cost ~$2M. BYU could afford that, but I think they will utilize that money elsewhere. One other name I\u2019ll throw out is Italian win Sailou Niang. Niang is a high level defender and athlete, who I compare in some ways to Mawot Mag. One source close to Niang told me that BYU offered Niang a high six-figure NIL offer, but Niang may be leaning to staying pro in Europe. <\/p>\n

At number 3 Sailou Niang emerged into a serious prospect in Italy who has one of the highest motors you\u2019ll see from a 20 year old in Europe <\/p>\n

Having a breakout season in Trento, playing high level basketball, producing in Euro Cup minutes, he\u2019s one of the better athletes in\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/Azlgab9TOk<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ZcVpKQTgJg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) February 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Agents from all across college basketball have been back channeling and \u201cpre-portaling\u201d to gauge interest and drive up the price for their clients before the offseason. I talk to several agents in the industry, and can just say that high-level transfers will be interested in playing for BYU. I believe that BYU will add at least one high-level player from the transfer portal that isn\u2019t on any BYU fans\u2019 radar right now.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your initial reaction on BYU\u2019s chances to land Felesi and or Goosby?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your initial reaction on BYU\u2019s chances to land Felesi and or Goosby?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Brandon Borget (@borgetyr) March 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Felesi and Goosby are both top 50 players in the 2026 class. It\u2019s still early but I think BYU will be among the top 3 for both player. Felesi plays at Utah Prep with Dybantsa and Staton and prepped at Orem HS before. Goosby is a Texas native and arguably the best LDS prospect in the 2026 class. I\u2019ll have another article that goes into his BYU connections, but BYU has some tailwinds here. Texas will be tough to beat out for Goosby, but right now both players are priority recruits for BYU. <\/p>\n

How is the 2025-26 nonconference schedule shaping up? Other than Villanova<\/a> and a tourney, how do you foresee the rest of the early schedule to fill out?<\/p>\n

How is the 2025-26 nonconference schedule shaping up ? Other than Villanova and a tourney, how do you foresee the rest of the early schedule to fill out ?<\/p>\n

\u2014 RoyalCoug (@RoyalCoug) March 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Will there be a home exhibition game next year, or two? Who are we trying to schedule?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jensen Animations (@jense1ca) March 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

As of now, BYU opens the season with Villanova in Las Vegas and will play two of Dayton, Miami, or Georgetown in the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando. BYU is also contracted to play at Wyoming, but I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if that game is bought out.<\/p>\n

BYU is talking with big name programs to fill out the schedule. There will be cupcakes mixed in, but Kevin Young wants a much tougher non-conference slate. I\u2019ve heard multiple power conference teams BYU is talking to, and I\u2019ll drop one little nugget here. Industry sources have told me that BYU has talked with North Carolina and Michigan about starting a two-game series \u2014 the first in the Delta Center, the return at a neutral site in that team\u2019s area. BYU would play just one of those teams. Those game may not come to fruition, but serious talks have happened. <\/p>\n

As far as exhibitions, new rules allow BYU to play two D1 teams in televised exhibitions fans can attend. I expect BYU to play two power conference opponents in October \u2014 one in Provo and one on the road.<\/p>\n

What are the professional prospects of the four BYU players this year who have exhausted their eligibility?<\/p>\n

What are the professional prospects of the four BYU players this year who have exhausted their eligibility?<\/p>\n

\u2014 Caleb Wilkes (@Caleb_D_Wilkes) March 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The only graduating senior that may get a NBA look is Mawot Mag. Sources told me that NBA teams have reached out about Mag, but nothing super serious. It doesn\u2019t sound like the NBA is in Mag\u2019s future, but a big March could land him a G-League deal and possibly a two-way contract down the road.<\/p>\n