Kevin Young Praised Kanon Catchings After BYU's Win Over Arizona

Feb 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; BYU Cougars forward Kanon Catchings (6) celebrates after making a three-point basket during the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

On Saturday night, BYU outscored Arizona 96-95 in an instant classic. The Cougars got key contributions from players up and down the roster, including true freshman Kanon Catchings. Catchings scored 14 points in just 15 minutes played, shooting 4/6 from the field.

Catchings has been in and out of the lineup over the last few weeks. After the game, BYU head coach Kevin Young admitted that he's had Catchings on a "short leash". Young praised the young Catchings for his resilience over the last few weeks.

"I'll chime in on that real quickly," Young interjected after Catchings answered a question in the postgame press conference. "With his size and his high release, I tell him all the time, you're either going to make it or miss it but the defense will have nothing to do with it. When he's aggressive, looking for his shot, he really changes the game for us. I'm honestly really proud of Kanon. You know, his road has been up and down. I quite frankly have given a short leash of late and he's been able to accept it and show up and continue to work."

KANON FROM THE CORNER 🔥

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/XVPctF4atR

— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) February 23, 2025

BYU doesn't win the game against Arizona without Catchings' contributions. Catchings had three critical threes in the second half when the Cougars were trying to keep pace with an Arizona offense that could not be stopped. Arizona scored 51 points in the second half and BYU countered with 49 points to hold on for the win.

KANON DOES IT AGAIN 😮‍💨

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/bUpVCgT2sX

— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) February 23, 2025

Young continued, saying BYU's ceiling is much higher when Catchings is playing at a high level. "I've said this from day one with Kanon. When he's playing at that type of level, our ceiling is a lot different."

The numbers bare that out. In three of BYU's biggest wins this season, Catchings was a difference maker. In an overtime win against Baylor, Catchings scored 23 points on a perfect 8/8 from the field.

In a close win at West Virginia (that might have turned BYU's season around), Catchings had 11 points and 4 rebounds. Catchings had 14 points in 15 minutes against Arizona and he was +6 on the night. That was third best for BYU behin only Fousseyni Traore (+10) and Dawson Baker (+8).

There is a legitimate argument to make that without Catchings, BYU would have lost all three of those games.

BYU will need Catchings to continue to get better and better over the next month. If BYU is going to make a run, BYU will need Catchings to be making key contributions.