Three Key Factors for West Virginia to Beat BYU and Advance to Big 12 Quarterfinals

Tonight, the West Virginia Mountaineers will square off with the BYU Cougars in the second round of the Big 12 Conference tournament.

WVU won the first matchup in Morgantown back in late February, but what is it going to take to defeat the Cougars again? Here are my three keys to the game.

Fast start + weather the second half storm

WVU got out to an okay start in the first matchup against BYU, but 11 points in the first nine minutes sure beats many of the other starts they've had this season. In their last time out, WVU got into a rhythm right away, putting up 10 points in the first four minutes and change. When playing a potent offense like BYU, it's crucial not to let them build a comfortable lead early and dictate the pace of play. I'm aware West Virginia won the first matchup 79-71, but a game played in the upper 70s is going to favor the Cougars.

Secondly, BYU has the tendency to dig itself out of a hole, much like West Virginia has this season. They (BYU) rank sixth nationally in second half scoring margin, so if the Mountaineers do get out to a lead, they have to stay locked in and not allow a massive run.

Stay on the attack

One of the biggest problems West Virginia has fallen into this season is settling for jumpers, and oftentimes, heavily contested ones. When they put the ball on the deck and get downhill, good things typically happen, especially when there's a heavy dose of Chance Moore and Brenen Lorient. Their rim pressure loosens things up for Honor Huff and Treysen Eaglestaff on the perimeter. Not to mention, WVU got to the foul line a bunch in that first matchup with the Cougs and actually cashed in, hitting 17/22 from the stripe. If WVU attempts close to 30 threes in this game, it's not going to end well.

Don't let "the other guys" beat you

There's a reason why AJ Dybantsa is in consideration to be the No. 1 overall pick this summer. He's an elite bucket-getter. Last night in their first round win over Kansas State, he racked up 40 points, setting a Big 12 tournament record. More impressively, he did it on 15/21 shooting. The chances of limiting him to less than 25 again are slim, and definitely so after what happened last night. Where teams can get in trouble is when Rob Wright III, Kennard Davis Jr., and others get going. Wright had 23 against West Virginia on February 28th. If they can squeeze him out of the flow of the offense, WVU's chances of winning this game increase significantly.