PROVO, Utah-Thursday, BYU men’s basketball (13-5, 2-1 in West Coast Conference action) hosts the San Diego Toreros (7-12, 0-4 in WCC play) at the Marriott Center as the WCC season ensues for the Cougars.
The Cougars will once again be forced to play without their best player, senior forward Yoeli Childs (20.9 points, 10.1 rebounds per game, a team-best 10 blocked shots) as he remains on the mend from injury.
As has often been the case this season in his absences, senior guard Jake Toolson (14.9 points, 4.8 rebounds per game) and fellow senior guard Jake Haws (13.2 points per game, team-bests in assists [94] and steals [21]) will be called upon to pick up the slack against the Toreros. If circumstances necessitate such, this may be even longer.
This adds to the litany of challenges for first-year head coach Mark Pope (13-5, .722; 90-61, .596 as a collegiate head coach) who is keeping his head above water.
The Cougars score 78.4 points per game, ranking BYU 35th nationally in scoring offense. BYU surrenders 66.7 points per game, tying the Cougars for 124th nationally in scoring defense with WCC rival Santa Clara.
In his second season at the helm of the Toreros’ program, Sam Scholl is 28-27 (.509).
San Diego scores 66.6 points per game as the Toreros rank 293rd nationally in scoring offense.
Redshirt junior guard Braun Hatfield leads San Diego in scoring (13.1 points per game) and rebounding (6.1 boards per game). Hatfield is also tied for the team lead in steals (23) with redshirt freshman guard Marion Humphrey. Humphrey also has a team-best 46 assists.
Redshirt sophomore guard Joey Calcaterra posts 12.4 points per game and is the only other Torero to score in double figures on-average this season.
Belarusian national, junior forward Yauhen Massalski and Canadian national, junior forward James Jean-Marie each have a team-best 14 blocked shots on the season to lead San Diego in that category.
The Cougars officially lead the Toreros 13-6 all-time and 7-0 at the Marriott Center.
