As expected, BYU had to be flexible regarding scheduling during the West Coast Conference basketball season.
Just last week, the Cougars saw a home game against San Francisco postponed and replaced by Pacific. Then, the game scheduled for last Tuesday in San Diego was canceled hours before the complaint. A February 13 game against Toreros in Provo is also due to be canceled.
Then, on Wednesday, it was announced that BYU’s confrontation with No. 1 Gonzaga was postponed to Monday. The game will start at 9 pm at the Marriott Center and will be broadcast on ESPN. It was originally scheduled to be played on February 27th.
In the meantime, the Cougars are scheduled to face the worst WCC team, Portland, on Thursday (5 pm MST, KJZZ-TV / Stadium.com) before playing against the Zags, the best team in the league – and the country.
It is one of the increasingly rare conference games this year for BYU that has not undergone a programming change.
The drivers (6-10, 0-7) do not win in the league game. BYU attacked Portland 95-67 in Provo on January 21.
BYU (14-4, 5-2) is number 37 in the NCAA NET ranking. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi currently has Cougars as the No. 9 seed in his NCAA Tournament projections.
BYU is trying to build on its NCAA tournament curriculum and a game against top-ranked Gonzaga should help in that regard. Portland occupies the 308th position in the NET ranking.
What is worrying is that five of the 10 WCC teams – San Diego, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Saint Mary’s and Loyola Marymount – have stopped activities due to concerns related to COVID.
BYU’s January 30 home game against San Francisco has been postponed but has not yet been rescheduled. Cougars will host Saint Mary’s on February 11.
BYU (14-4, 5-2) in Portland (6-10, 0-7)
Thursday, 5 pm MST
Chiles Center
TV: KJZZ-TV / Stadium.com
Radio: 1160 AM, 102.7 FM