BYU continues its four-game homestand Tuesday night when Queens comes to the Marriott Center in what could be a high-scoring affair. The Cougs are averaging 101 points per game through two games, and Queens has scored 96+ in two of its three games while allowing at least 95 in all three. The game tips off at 7pm MT on ESPN+.
BYU (2-0) moved up two spots to #23 in Monday’s AP Poll after wins over Ohio State and Omaha. Queens (2-1) is coming off a 118-68 beatdown loss at Oklahoma State on Friday after opening
the season with a pair of close wins.
BYU and Queens by the Numbers
BYU KenPom: 20
AP Rank: 23
Queens KenPom: 188
Wins: Winthrop (N), LMU (A)
Loss: Oklahoma State (A)
KenPom Prediction: BYU 100, Queens 76 — BYU 98% win probability
Point Spread: BYU -25.5
Point Total: 179.5
Queens Overview
Queens got boat raced 118-68 to Oklahoma State in their last game, but they are a solid mid-major team with a fun style. Queens won the ASUN Tournament last March for its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid, then fell to 2-seed Purdue 104-71 in the first round. The Royals went 21-14 and were picked to win the ASUN this season.
The Royals brought back nine players from that team, including preseason All-ASUN picks Nasir Mann, Jordan Watford and Avantae Parker.
The profile through three games is pretty clear. Queens wants to run, attack the paint and outscore you. The Royals are shooting 60% inside the arc but just 32% from three, and they had 29 fast break points in the opener against Winthrop. The scored 103 points in their win over Winthrop and 96 at LMU.
The flip side is the defense — they’ve given up 98, 95 and 118 points, an average of 103.7 per game and rank as one of the worst defenses in college basketball. Queen has a good collection of guards and wings, but their dearth of size in the frontcourt leaves them vulnerable on the glass and forces them to overcompensate, which leads to a lot of opens shots for opponents.
Players to Watch
Nasir Mann, Guard — Mann was Queens’ leading scorer last season at 13.3 points per game and was the MVP of the ASUN Tournament. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 203 pounds, he’s taken another step this year, leading the Royals at 19.3 points per game. He went for a career-high 28 points at Loyola Marymount on 11-13 shooting from the field and 5-6 from three, including the three that set up the game-winner. Oklahoma State held him to 11. Mann does most of his damage inside the arc and is a streaky shooter from deep (although he’s shooting 55% from three earlier on this season), so BYU’s wings will have to keep him out of the lane.
Jordan Watford, Guard — The 6-foot-5 sophomore is averaging 17.3 points and 5 assists per game, and he opened the season with 26 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds against Winthrop. He’s a long, slashing guard who can get to the rim but isn’t much of a threat from the outside — he’s 0-3 through 3 games. Watford pairs with Mann to give Queens some size in the backcourt.
Avantae Parker, Forward — The 6-foot-9 junior is the third preseason All-ASUN selection on the roster and led Queens with 15 points in the Oklahoma State loss. He’s the Royals’ most important frontcourt piece, and how he holds up against Jaxon Kohler on the glass will be worth watching. Parker is Queens de-facto center despite being only listed at 207 pounds.
Prediction
The spread and point total for this game implies BYU will score over 100 points, which is a bonkers point total for a college basketball game. BYU’s 109-point record under Kevin Young could be in play. Queens pushes the tempo, and through three games has allowed opponents to shoot nearly 50% from the three. Queens has very little interior size and beef, so BYU should be able to dominate the glass and get open looks as Queens is forced to rotate to help out.
Queens is an experienced team that brought back lots of pieces, rare for a mid-major team, and will present a solid test for BYU’s defense. Ultimately, I think BYU lights up the scoreboard and some players have career nights.
Prediction: BYU 107, Queens 78
