Omaha, Neb. • The NCAA Tournament is meant to be played in packed arenas in front of rabid fan bases. An environment that injects madness into March weekends. That’s what BYU head coach Mark Pope told media members on Wednesday inside the CHI Health Center.
He recalled the sterile bubble environment of Indianapolis, full of COVID-19 tests and quarantines, that just two remaining players (Spencer Johnson and Trevin Knell) were part of. If the drag-on years weren’t indicator enough, numerous BYU fans greeting the Cougars at the team hotel on Tuesday reminded them those days are over.
“It was necessary, and we’re so grateful for all the precautions that were taken and for the opportunity to actually go compete,” Pope remembered of his team’s last NCAA Tournament appearance, “but I’m happy for those guys that they get to come feel this because this is the way it’s supposed to be.”
Despite the long wait and NCAA Tournament inexperience among the roster, Pope was encouraged by the Cougars’ headspace after Wednesday morning’s practice.
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“I think our guys are loose, full of energy,” he said. “Certainly, they’re going to feel the juice, all that comes from playing in this tournament. I think they’re pretty prepared to deal with those emotions.
“I think we’re so eager to race out and jump in the fray of this tournament and see what we can do. I feel like our guys are in a good spot.”
That runs counter to a potentially fired-up Duquesne team. Dukes head coach Keith Dambrot announced on Monday he’ll retire at the conclusion of the school’s first NCAA appearance since 1977. Johnson didn’t know that until Wednesday. While that may add to the opponent’s motivations, the senior from American Fork said the Cougars are equally motivated by making the NCAA Tournament.
Almost exactly 24 hours before Thursday’s tip-off with Duquesne — the school’s first Round-of-64 game in front of fans in a decade — Pope also said he felt the “terrifying” 18-game Big 12 schedule helped prepare his team.
His players, at least the ones who spoke with media on Wednesday, agreed. Johnson remembered being told the team needed to get stronger and improve its physicality during its transition from the West Coast Conference into the Big 12. While the Cougars’ 10-8 conference mark might not typically indicate greatness, Johnson believes BYU’s immersion into the league caught others off guard. The Cougars battled in the paint with top-15 teams from New Year’s to St. Patrick’s Day.
While BYU may not win the eye test in warmup lines, Johnson said, it’s a big part of their game. Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year Jaxson Robinson said their physicality sets the tone for the game. This team has seen how different a game feels when they don’t establish their physicality, especially inside the 3-point line.
“We call it the combat zone, and our physicality in that area inside 3-point line is what helps us win when it comes to rebounding, when it comes to making sure we own that space,” sophomore guard Dallin Hall added. “Our coaches really emphasize that. They prepare us well. When we execute that, we’re really hard to beat.”
Pope and the three Cougars who spoke between practice and shootaround on Wednesday agreed that physicality will help against Duchesne. The Dukes average holding opponents to 66.9 points per game. Only one opponent has scored more than 65 on their current eight-game winning streak, which includes holding VCU to 51 points in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship.
Hall called Duquesne a unique team that incorporates aspects of TCU and Texas Tech to form a distinctly skilled side. Robinson called them a “great defensive team,” who can get out in transition as well as play in a slow possession.
When asked how to slow down Duquesne’s guard tandem of Dae Dae Grant (16.7 points) and Jimmy Clark III (15.1 points), Pope said he had no idea. The head coach complimented Clark’s “clinic” in the final 6 minutes against Dayton by scoring at all three levels. He reiterated what Robinson said about Duquesne pushing tempo, saying “they get out and run as good as anybody in the country.” Pope challenged the team’s relentlessness in the face of a grueling defense.
“The pace of the game is still going to be a massive point of emphasis even if that doesn’t mean we’re flying over half court every 15 seconds,” he said.
• Robinson played down his Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year accolade on Wednesday, saying he simply wants to help the team win however they can. He acknowledged it’s something he’ll remember for the rest of his life, “but what matters to me is being in this tournament and winning with my guys.”
• Pope said 6-foot-11 center Aly Khalifa is adjusting his diet as needed during Ramadan. This is the first time he’ll perform at such a highly competitive level while fasting. Khalifa participated in Wednesday’s shootaround unhampered. Just under a week after rolling his ankle in the first half against Texas Tech, which limited him to under 9 minutes, Khalifa powered in the paint and planted off that ankle without any hesitation or issue.
BYU lists him as a probable starter for Wednesday’s game.
“I’m super proud of him,” Pope said. “He’s an incredible example of faith and devotion, and he’s feeling better every single day.