No. 8 BYU opens season against Villanova at Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas

Tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PT on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max.

Author Tyson Jex
No. 8 BYU opens season against Villanova at Hall of Fame Series Las VegasNo. 8 BYU opens season against Villanova at Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas

PROVO, Utah - College basketball gets underway on Monday, Nov. 3, when No. 8 BYU takes on Villanova in the Hall of Fames Series Las Vegas. Tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PT at T-Mobile Arena in Sin City. 

WHERE TO WATCH
Monday's game will be broadcast on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max with Brian Anderson, Grant Hill and Andy Katz on the call. 

PAR FOR THE COURSE
Monday's showdown will be the fourth all-time meeting between the two schools, all three of the previous meetings taking place at neutral sites. The Cougars are 1-2 all-time against the Wildcats with their lone win coming on December 28, 1970 at the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

BYUSportsNetworks
Listen Here Opens in a new window

HE KNOWS A THING OR TWO
Even though BYU has zero players on its roster that have played against Villanova during their collegiate careers, assistant coach John Linehan has them covered as the former NCAA all-time leader when 7-1 against the Wildcats in games he played in during his time at Providence. 

'The Virus' had some big time games against the Wildcats including a nine steal performance on February 20, 1999. That is still tied for the third-most steals in a single game in program history. After missing a majority of the 1999-00 season, Linehan came back with vengeance the following season going 6-of-7 from 3-point range en route to 20 points and a 84-64 win. 

SHOOTING FOR THE STARS
Richie Saunders enters the season having made 23 consecutive free throws dating back to the Cougarís 85-74 victory over Utah on Senior Day. The seniorí' current streak is the third-longest by a Cougar since the beginning of the 2018-19 season. 

Player Consecutive Free Throws Made Dates
Alex Barcello 31 Dec. 9, 2020 - Jan. 27, 2021
TJ Haws 29 Jan. 30, 2020 - Feb. 29, 2020
Richie Saunders 23 March 6, 2025 - present
Alex Barcello 22 Dec. 4, 2021 - Jan. 6, 2022
Alex Barcello 20 Feb. 18, 2021 - March 9, 2021

Alex Barcello owns the longest streak over the past five seasons as the former Cougar made 31 from the charity stripe during his senior season, tied for the sixth-longest streak in program history. 

 

GameNotes
Read Here Opens in a new window

STANDING OUT BEFORE THE SEASON
Keba Keita had a strong showing in BYUís win over No. 25 North Carolina but his improvement from the free throw was evident in the Cougars two exhibition contests. The senior went 7-of-8 from the charity stripe after shooting 41.1 percent (30-of-73) last season. 

Redshirt freshman Khadim Mboup averaged 9.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He was a perfect 7-of-7 from the field including knocking down a corner three against the Tar Heels. In his first (unofficial game) as a Cougar, Mboup recorded a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) against Nebraska with four of his 11 rebounds coming on the offensive glass. 

AJ Dybantsa scored 30 points against the Huskers in Lincoln going 10-of-19 from the field, 2-of-4 from three and 8-of-8 from the free throw. Heading into the season only five BYU freshmen have scored 30 or more in a game with Matt Carlino the last Cougar to do it with his 30-point performance at San Francisco on Feb. 16, 2012. 

THERE IS ONLY ONE
BYU is the only school in the nation to have its football and men's basketball team ranked in the Top 10 in the national polls as the gridiron Cougars are 8-0 following their 41-27 win over Iowa State last Saturday in Ames, Iowa. 

IF IT GOES UP, IT'S PROBABLY GOING IN
BYU is one of five schools with a menís and womenís player named to the Naismith Starting 5 - Shooting Guard of the Year preseason watch list with Richie Saunders and Delaney Gibb. They are joined on that list by Duke, Louisville, UConn and USC.