It’s official: There’s a catfight Monday night at the Marriott Center.
Sitting at No. 1 in every poll, the Arizona Wildcats are coming into Provo with a chip on their shoulder. After beating an unranked BYU in Provo last season, the then-No. 19 Wildcats hosted the Cougars in Tucson, where BYU flipped the narrative.
The 20-0 Wildcats are one of three undefeated teams left, along with No. 7 Nebraska and No. 25 Miami (Ohio). Starting the season at No. 13, Arizona dominated every matchup and climbed to the top spot, where the team has remained for over a month.
Arizona will face its toughest road test of the season in the Marriott Center, where BYU is No. 1 in the Big 12 in attendance. The Cougars have yet to lose at home this season, and the student section, the ROC (Roar of Cougars), is known for its volume and energy.
While Arizona holds a slight all-time advantage at 21-20, the Cougars have the edge in the Marriott Center, leading the series 14-5 in Provo. In the Big 12, the series is tied at 1-1, from both matchups last season.
How are the Wildcats pulling this historic season off? It all starts with the offense.
Most notably, Arizona is first in the Big 12 in scoring offense, with an average of 89.9 points per game. Comparatively, BYU is fifth with an average of 85.5 points per game. Additionally, the Wildcats allow their opponents to score an average of just 68.3 points per game.
The Wildcat offense is led by Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, who average 14.6 and 14.2 points per game, respectively. Peat, a true freshman, also averages 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Arizona averages 8.5 steals and 4.3 blocks per game on the defensive side of the ball, allowing them to dominate the scoring margin. The battle of tempo may ultimately decide the game, as Arizona thrives in transition, while BYU’s forte is controlling possessions.
The true determinants of the matchup will be turnover margin and rebounding. Arizona averages 11.6 turnovers a game while forcing 13.5 from its opponents. BYU holds a slight advantage, averaging merely 10.8 turnovers, but forcing only 12.4 per game.
Arizona and BYU are neck-and-neck in rebounding, taking first and second place in the Big 12. The Wildcats have 868 so far this season across 20 games, averaging 43.4 per game. The Cougars have 754 rebounds this season through 19 games, giving them an average of 39.7 per game.
Free-throw efficiency is another key factor, especially late in the game, where disciplined defense and points from the charity stripe may swing momentum. In their last meeting, Saunders' free throws led BYU to their victory over Arizona in Tucson.
Can the Wildcats defend the Big 3? AJ Dybansta, Richie Saunders and Rob Wright III are the top three scorers for BYU. Of the 1,559 points the Cougars have scored this season, 1,072 have come from the trio — 68.8% of the Cougars’ total points.
Will the Wildcats defeat their first ranked Big 12 opponent, or will BYU pull the upset of the season and shake up the Big 12 title race? Tipoff is at 7 p.m. in the Marriott Center or on ESPN.