No. 17 BYU, No. 7 Alabama face-off in Sweet 16

NEWARK, N.J. -  No. 17 BYU's run in the NCAA Tournament continues on Thursday, March 27, when the Cougars take on No. 7 Alabama in the Sweet 16 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Tip is scheduled for 7:09 p.m. ET. 

WHERE TO WATCH
Thursday's game can be seen on CBS with Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce on the call. 

WE GOT BAMA
Thursday's matchup will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools and first since 2017. The Cougars are 0-2 against the Crimson Tide including a 71-59 setback on November 24, 2017 just across the Hudson River in the Barclays Center Classic. Yoeli Childs was the only Cougar to score in double figures in the loss finishing with a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double while current Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton had 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists for Alabama. 

BYU is 1-3 all-time against sitting members of the Southeastern Conference in the NCAA Tournament since 1980 including a 83-74 overtime setback to Florida in the Cougars last Sweet 16 appearance in 2011. 

 

THE NIGHT IS YOUNG
In just his first season at BYU, Kevin Young became the sixth different coach in program history to win multiple NCAA Tournament games. His 26 wins are the most by a first-year head coach in program history, two more than current Kentucky head coach Mark Pope won in his first season in Provo (2019-20) before the season was canceled due to COVID-19. 

STREAKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
BYU held off Wisconsin on Saturday giving the Cougars their 54th consecutive win when leading with five minutes left in regulation. They have won 68 of their last 70 when holding a late lead with the last loss coming on Jan. 8, 2022 against Saint Mary's. 

It was also the Cougars' 29th consecutive win when scoring between 90-99 points. They are 105-5 since 2000-01 with the last loss in regulation coming against Ole Miss in the First Four of the 2015 NCAA Tournament. 

PICK YOUR POISON
Statistically speaking, Trevin Knell and Richie Saunders are having two of the best 3-point shooting performances in a single season in program history among players that have 70 or more makes from behind the arc. 

Saunders is two 3-pointers away from becoming the eighth player in program history with 80 or more triples in a single season in program history as the junior's 78 3-pointers are 16 more than he had combined in his first two seasons in Provo. 

Knell is also making more 3-pointers than ever as the seniorís knocked down 73 3-pointers, six more than he hit last season. 

 

A STONE COLD KEITA
Over his past six games Keba Keita is averaging 10.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 66.7 percent from the field. He has multiple offensive rebounds in five of those games including tying a program record with nine offensive boards in BYUís double overtime victory over No. 10 Iowa State on March 4 in Ames. 

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BIG BAD BIG 12
Four Big 12 schools advanced to the Sweet 16, tying a conference record set back in 2002. 57.1 percent of the leagueís schools that were selected for the NCAA Tournament made it to the second weekend.

TO THE WINDOW, TO THE HALL
Dallin Hall ranks ninth among active NCAA Division I menís basketball players in assist-to-turnover ratio as the junior has 411 assists to only 165 turnovers. That is also the second-highest in program history among players that have played in 50 games and average over 3.0 assists per game. 

The junior's 411 assists are the 10th most in program history while his 4.15 assists per game have him sixth on the all-time. 

RECORDS ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN
BYU needs just seven 3-pointers on Thursday to break the program record for most 3-pointers in a single season set last year. The Cougars are 372-of-998 from behind the arc this season as their 10.6 triples per game are the second-most in a single season in program history.