For the second time in over 40 years, BYU has earned a trip to the Sweet 16. The Cougars will now take on #2 Alabama, with an appearance in the Elite 8 on the line. Can one of the nation’s hottest teams continue their winning ways this weekend? Let’s take a closer look at BYU’s March Madness futures on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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BYU odds to reach the Final Four (+700)
On February 8th, BYU had a good, not great, record of 15-8. This team was on track for the NCAA Tournament, but didn’t appear to be a real threat. Since then, everything has changed for the Cougars, who have reeled off eleven wins over their last seven outings. During that time, they’ve beaten high-caliber squads such as Arizona, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Iowa State (twice).
What’s been the biggest key to BYU’s success? An elite scoring attack; the school ranks ninth on KenPom in adjusted offensive efficiency. Leading the charge has been Richie Saunders, who leads the team with 16.3 points per game. The junior is joined by freshman phenom Egor Demin and senior guard Trevin Knell. However, the biggest strength for the Cougars is depth. Seven different players on this roster average more than seven points per game.
In a potential shootout, BYU takes on the nation’s highest-scoring offense in Alabama on Thursday. Considering how good these teams are at putting up points, this one will come down to who can get stops. The Cougars aren’t a defensive juggernaut, but they have shown an ability to lock in on that end of the court. Head coach Kevin Young’s squad has won ten games this season when scoring less than 85 points. In comparison, the Crimson Tide have only done so five different times.
Assuming the Cougars are able to snag an Elite 8 win, they’ll then face Duke on Saturday. While the Blue Devils are the most well-rounded team in the nation, they can be beat. The key to any March Madness upset is an ability to connect from beyond the arc. BYU has made 37.3% of their three-point attempts (30th) while taking 28.5 shots per game from deep (24th). If anyone can take down a super-team, it’s the sharpshooters from Utah. At seven-to-one odds, there are far worse schools to take a flier than BYU.
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