alt=Jeff CallSTOCKTON, Calif. — For now, based on what it has accomplished at this point of the season, BYU is regarded as an NCAA tournament team. But in order to remain in that coveted position, the Cougars can’t afford slip-ups.
That’s why this Bay Area road swing, starting Thursday (8 p.m., MST, Stadium) at Pacific, is so crucial for BYU, which is fighting for the all-important No. 2 seed in the West Coast Conference Tournament in Las Vegas in March. The first and second seeds receive a bye all the way until the tournament semifinals.
“This is a huge road trip for us, obviously. We’ve got to take care of business. They are teams that are playing really well, especially at home. We’re really locked in and excited to go on this road trip and to continue to improve. I think we’ll be ready” — BYU forward Dalton Nixon
Heading into the weekend, BYU (14-6, 3-2) is in a five-way tie for second place in the league standings with Pacific, San Francisco, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara. The Cougars visit USF Saturday afternoon.
“This is a huge road trip for us, obviously. We’ve got to take care of business,” said forward Dalton Nixon. “They are teams that are playing really well, especially at home. We’re really locked in and excited to go on this road trip and to continue to improve. I think we’ll be ready.”
BYU’s leading scorer and rebounder, Yoeli Childs, who is dealing with a finger injury, is questionable.
In the latest NET rankings, the Cougars are No. 38 while the Tigers are No. 121 and the Dons check in at No. 99.
BYU is 1-4 in true road games this season.
“I don’t know if I’m as concerned about being on the road as I am that we’re playing two great teams,” said coach Mark Pope. “It’s a big-time road trip. This is awesome. It’s going to be really hard. It’s nothing new for us. We’ve been on the road and played two games in a row. We’re familiar with being on the road. We’re a good road team. We’ll perform well.”
Pacific (15-6, 3-2), which beat Saint Mary’s in four overtimes on Jan. 4, is led by one of the WCC’s top players, guard Jahlil Tripp, who averages 15.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
“They’re just junkyard dogs. They’re a really tough team, especially at home,” said forward Kolby Lee. “They attack the ball and go after every 50-50 ball. We have to rebound the ball extremely well.”
Pope and Pacific coach Damon Stoudamire have known each other for years, including their time playing in the National Basketball Association.
“I love him. He’s one of my favorite guys in basketball. We kind of came up through the ranks together as players, then as coaches, too,” Pope said of Stoudamire. “He’s made a lot more money in his playing career than I did. He scored a lot more points, that’s for sure. What he’s done this year is amazing. Last year, his team was actually pretty good. They were just so beset by injuries. It was really brutal. He’s got his team playing really hard.”
Pope said it will be important to keep the Tigers off the boards.
“They’re winning every 50-50 ball. When you look at the film, they win every single one. They’re just tough. (Tripp) leads them in terms of demeanor, intensity and physicality. He’s such a special player,” Pope said. “The team has taken on Damon’s and Tripp’s demeanor and it’s serving them really well right now. They’re winning games. They’re really impressive and they’re a good team. It’s always hard to play there — even when they have bad teams it’s hard to play in that gym. I almost want to bring some flashlights in there just to see a little bit better.”
The Cougars know what’s at stake this weekend.
“We have a lot to prove still,” Nixon said. “We’re tied with Pacific for second in the conference. It’s a big game for us.”
For the first time on the conference schedule this season, BYU has back-to-back road games on the same weekend.
“This is going to be something new for us, to have a four-day span preparing for games. We had a similar situation in Maui,” Nixon said. “It’s going to really help us. Our goal is to go into Stockton and play really tough and get a win and then we regroup, get locked in for the next game. That’s what we want. It definitely helps that we can stay there and be focused.”
Pope knows that from here on out, every game gets incrementally bigger.
“We have a chance to play two really good teams. They’re probably better than what they’re ranked,” he said. “Every single game is so important. This weekend is huge. Then next weekend is huger.”
Cougars on the air
BYU (14-6, 3-2)
at Pacific (15-6, 3-2)
Thursday, 8 p.m. MST
Spanos Center, Stockton, California
TV: Stadium
Radio: 1160 AM, 102.7 FM