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BYU’s unique West Coast Convention season-opener at Portland, scheduled for New Yr’s Day, was postponed attributable to COVID-19 points throughout the Pilots’ program.
On the time, the plan was for the sport to be rescheduled, however it wasn’t.
Now, the Cougars, whose NCAA Event chances are high precarious at finest, are on the lookout for a approach to bolster their match resume by scheduling a Quad 1 opponent.
BYU is at present No. 55 within the NCAA’s NET rankings, which doesn't bode nicely for its at-large NCAA Event prospects.
In accordance with ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s match projections, the Cougars stay on the bubble, listed amongst “The Final 4 Out.”
So BYU is desperately trying to find an opponent that additionally wants a powerful win on its resume. The Cougars conclude their common season this weekend with video games towards Loyola Marymount (Thursday) and Pepperdine (Saturday).
“These conversations have gone in earnest the final three to 4 days. We’ve reached out to about 20 totally different groups. Selections on that can in all probability be made after everyone will get by the weekend,” stated coach Mark Pope. “We now have some groups that might play (subsequent) Tuesday. Lots that might play Wednesday. Most of them we’d have to be on the highway to make it a Quad 1. ... It will be a resume-builder for the winner. That’s the concept.”
If BYU performed a highway sport subsequent Wednesday, it could then fly to Las Vegas to play within the WCC Event.
As of now, the Cougars are slotted because the No. 5 seed and would play within the second spherical of the match on Friday, March 4.
“All that's in limbo proper now. We’re simply making an attempt to guage,” Pope stated of making an attempt to schedule a sport. “We’re actually aggressively, actively pursuing potential alternatives. A lot must come collectively to make it occur. That’s one thing we’re speaking about.”
Pope stated BYU is discussing the potential of a sport with “groups which can be form of occupying the identical house as us the place it may be a difference-maker. Some groups simply getting one other win could be vital for us. And it could be a high quality win for each groups, irrespective of the place we've the sport.”
Among the many groups BYU is speaking to consists of “a few groups” on the East Coast, Pope stated.
“We’re simply tip-toeing our manner ahead, seeing how issues play out the following 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours,” Pope stated. “And that’s all in concept. Everyone’s speaking about it proper now. However speaking about it and really getting a contract signed and getting a sport is a brilliant small step, however it’s an enormous step.”
Earlier this season BYU tried to get an additional nonconference sport to exchange the Portland sport, however that didn't come to fruition.