BYU Basketball's Newfound Edge vs Houston

0:00On March 12, BYU's basketball team has turned into a much tougher squad over the past 11 days. They dominated West Virginia last night in the big 12 tournaments round of 16, winning 68-48. The Cougars forced 22 turnovers and outrebounded the mountaineers by 5, a far cry from their 79-71 loss in Morgantown. Just weeks ago, with a record of 23 wins and 10 losses, they're advancing to the quarterfinals. Coach Kevin Young credits a return to basics after some tough losses. The team simplified their defense, cut down on overcoaching, and focused on playing harder, longer, stronger, and faster. That approach has clicked, especially with stars like freshman AJ DiBanza leading the charge after shaking off some early passivity. DiBanza exploded for 27 points in the win, adding to 67 points over two tournament games, a freshman record for the event. In our Davis chipped in 20 more. Young praised their leadership, saying the whole group has embraced the grit needed to compete at this level.

1:04Now comes a big test against number two seed. Houston ranked 5th nationally, with 26 wins and 5 losses. It's Thursday at 5 p.m., mountain daylight time in Kansas City. Houston owns a perfect 4-0 record against BYU in big 12 play, including blowout wins last season. BYU learned hard lessons from those matchups, like Houston's explosive starts, but Young respects their program and sees this as a chance to match. Elite toughness. Fans will be watching how the Cougars newfound edge holds up.