The 2024-25 BYU men’s basketball team was different from previous teams. Head coach Kevin Young introduced a new concept, “PRO-vo.”
The mold of the past was broken as the collegiate landscape changed.
Gone are the Cougars’ days of just pulling the state’s top recruits. Now, Young and his staff are targeting the top recruits in the country. The pro model is working for them to find success in today’s landscape of college basketball.
In reflection of the past, where does the 2024-25 team rank among the greatest teams in BYU basketball history?
What goes into these rankings? A combination of regular season record, notable wins, star players, strength of schedule, NCAA Tournament success, and the AP poll all factor into where these teams are ranked.
Here are the top five teams in BYU men’s basketball history, according to the Daily Universe.
HONORABLE MENTION: 2019-2020
Record: 24-8 overall, 13-3 WCC
In Mark Pope’s first season as head coach, BYU’s season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, analysts and national media were very high on the Cougars making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
The 2019-20 team was an extremely well-built team with Yoeli Childs, Jake Toolson, Alex Barcello, Zac Seljaas and T.J. Haws — all of whom have spent time playing professionally in one aspect or another. Many fans have argued that this was the best-built team in BYU history because of the amount of talent that was on the team.
Star Player: Yoeli Childs
Childs averaged 22 points a game on 57% shooting from the field. Not only that, but Childs averaged nearly nine rebounds a game as well. The success during his senior season led him to the All-WCC first team and two West Coast Conference player of the week awards. The hometown product became the leader of the team and the go-to scorer whenever the Cougars needed a bucket.
Notable Wins:
This team was famous for notable wins on the road against Houston, where Haws hit a game winner from the baseline to win 72-71. The Cougars’ other notable win was against then No. 2-ranked Gonzaga in the Marriott Center 91-78.
Strength of Schedule:
The Cougars played a tough non-conference schedule, playing teams such as Houston, Kansas and UCLA. In the WCC, the typical tough opponents of Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s made the season schedule difficult as expected.
AP Poll:
The team jumped as high as No. 14 in the AP poll, but finished the shortened season at No. 18.
It feels appropriate to have an honorable mention category just for this team, as we never saw how good it could truly be.
5. 2009-2010
Record: 30-6 overall, 13-3 Mountain West
In only Dave Rose’s fifth year as head coach, the 2009-10 season turned what was already a good team into a great one. With a talented roster in hand, including Jimmer Fredette, Jackson Emery, Jonathan Tavernari, Brandon Davies and freshman Tyler Haws, this team was built to win.
The season was a subtle foreshadowing of what was to come the next season as BYU managed to put all the pieces together in a spectacular season.
Notable Wins:
BYU most notably won the Las Vegas Classic, beating Nevada in a 110-104 shootout, and Nebraska 88-66. In just the next game, Jimmer Fredette exploded for a McKale Center record and second-best BYU single-game record of 49 points, beating Arizona 99-69. The Cougars also found a way to beat Florida in a double overtime thriller, 99-92, in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Strength of Schedule:
The 2009-10 team only played one ranked team in the regular season, in New Mexico, which it lost to both times. However, nearly every win that BYU had that season was by 15 points or more, showing that the Cougars could dominate any other competition.
Star Player: Jimmer Fredette
In his junior season, Fredette jumped another six points from his sophomore season scoring average. He averaged 22.1 points per game in 2009-10, hitting over five 3-pointers a game and shooting 44% from behind the arc. His scoring average was seventh-best in the country.
Jimmer was named an AP All-America honorable mention, All-MWC first team, and earned five MWC player of the week awards. Fredette was also a Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy Midseason and Oscar Robertson Trophy candidate.
NCAA Tournament:
No.7 BYU hung on in double overtime to beat the No. 10 Florida Gators in double overtime 99-92. Jimmer led the way with 37 points, tying Danny Ainge’s record for most points in an NCAA game. The win broke a 17-year drought without a win in the NCAA tournament for the Cougars. They would end up losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament to No. 2 Kansas State, 84-72.
AP Poll:
Unranked to begin the year, BYU got up to as high as No. 12 in the AP poll. It finished the year at No. 17.
4. 2023-2024
Record: 23-11 overall, 10-8 Big 12, Finished 5th in Big 12
The first year in a power conference is typically expected to come with growing pains, getting used to playing tougher competition, unless you’re the 2023-24 BYU Cougars. Under Pope, the Cougars were picked to finish 13th out of the 14 teams in the Big 12 in the preseason poll. Not only did they do better than that, but they finished tied for fifth with Kansas.
BYU proved that it can hang in the Big 12 and compete in one of the best basketball conferences in the country, then and for years to come.
Notable Wins:
The run began as BYU started the season in dominating fashion, going 13-1 in non-conference. This included beating No. 17 San Diego State, the national runner-up from the year before, at home 74-65. The Cougars would also go on to win the Vegas Showdown in November.
In Big 12 play, BYU pulled off wins against No. 24 Iowa State, 87-72, and No. 11 Baylor, 78-71, in the Marriott Center.
Arguably the most notable win since beating No. 2 Gonzaga at home in 2020 was the win at Fog Allen Fieldhouse vs No. 7 Kansas. The Cougars went into the toughest place to play in the country and managed to pull out a 76-68 win, including a dagger 3-pointer from Dallin Hall to seal the victory for BYU.
Up to that point, Kansas had a 19-game home winning streak and had not lost to an unranked team at home since 2018.
Strength of Schedule:
The grind of a schedule adjusting to a power conference benefits the 2023-24 team, as the Cougars played the second-most difficult schedule in program history. Never before had a BYU team faced the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Baylor and others in the same season.
Star Players: Jaxson Robinson, Aly Khalifa
While the team did not have a go-to star, the Cougars heavily relied on a couple of different players to show up in big moments throughout the season.
The surprise of the year was Jaxson Robinson. Robinson entered the season as a starter, but as the season went on, Pope decided to have him come off the bench. Robinson flourished in that role, averaging 14.2 points per game, shooting 42.6% from the field and 35.4% from three. Robinson would be named the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year for his efforts off the bench.
Another surprise was the Charlotte transfer, Aly Khalifa. In his only season at BYU, the 6-foot-11 big man from Egypt dazzled everyone with his passing ability. Khalifa finished the season tied for sixth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio with 3.6 assists to one turnover. His ability to stretch the floor opened up opportunities for open looks all over the court.
NCAA Tournament:
The Cougars lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament as a 6-seed to 11-seed Duquesne, after feelings that the 11-year drought without an NCAA tournament win would come to a close that year. Unfortunately, that was not the case as BYU fell 71-67.
AP Poll:
With low expectations for the year, BYU entered the season unranked. After surprise after surprise from this team, the Cougars jumped to No. 12. In a disappointing upset against Duquesne, BYU ended the season unranked.
3. 2010-2011
Record: 32-5 overall, 14-2 Mountain West
The success of the 2009-10 season helped build momentum heading into the 2010-11 season. The BYU Cougars were on the national map, ranked in the preseason top 25 to start the year, and went on to win the most games in program history. Not only that, but the media was all focused on one thing throughout the season: JimmerMania.
Notable Wins:
The best win of the season was against No. 4 San Diego State. The game was nationally televised as BYU was ranked No. 9 in the country, and it is the only top 10 game ever played in the Marriott Center. The Aztecs were unbeaten at 20-0, led by Kawhi Leonard. The Cougars, led by Jimmer’s 43 points, handed San Diego State its first loss of the season, winning 71-58.
Strength of Schedule:
BYU did not have as tough competition as it was used to in the past against the Mountain West, but still beat down on conference opponents outside of losses to San Diego State and New Mexico. The non-conference schedule and NCAA tournament run helped strengthen the Cougars’ resume.
Star Player: Jimmer Fredette
Photo by BYU Photo
Just when you thought Jimmer couldn’t have gotten any better, he did. Averaging 28.9 points per game, Fredette was the nation’s leading scorer. He averaged 3.4 made 3-pointers a game, which was good for third in the country.
Jimmer won the 2011 National Player of the Year Award, was a First Team All-American, and the MWC Player of the Year. He was no doubt one of the best, if not the best, players to put on a BYU uniform.
NCAA Tournament:
No. 3 BYU won the first round of the tournament against No. 14 Wofford 74-66. In the second round, the Cougars took on No. 11 Gonzaga and won 89-67, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 1980-81 season. In a rematch from the tournament a year before, No. 2 Florida got its revenge on BYU, beating them 83-74.
AP Poll:
Following the previous season’s success, the Cougars opened up the season at No. 24. As Jimmer created the national spotlight, BYU jumped up to No. 3 in the country, tied for the highest ranking in program history. After the Sweet 16 loss, the Cougars finished the season at No. 10.
2. 2024-2025
Record: 26-10 overall, 14-6 Big 12, Finished T-3rd in Big 12
With a whole new look for BYU basketball in both the coaching staff and roster, the Cougars continued the first-year success in the Big 12 to year two. Under first-year head coach Kevin Young, BYU signed its highest recruiting class ever with Egor Demin, Canon Catchings, Elijah Crawford and Mihailo Boskovic. With a brand new team, the Cougars won the fifth-highest games in program history and the most wins in BYU history under a first-year head coach.
BYU was projected to finish 9th in the Big 12 to start the year and would go on to finish tied for third in one of the toughest basketball conferences in America.
Notable Wins:
The Cougars picked up five ranked wins on the season, tied for the most in program history (1950-51). These ranked wins include the largest win against a ranked opponent, beating No. 23 Kansas 91-57. BYU also won on the road at No. 19 Arizona 96-95, and at No. 10 Iowa State 88-85 in double overtime.
BYU also went on a nine-game win streak during that time and was named by national media as one of the hottest teams in the country entering the NCAA tournament.
Strength of Schedule:
2024-25 was the toughest strength of schedule in program history, according to Sports Reference. The Cougars played 25 Quad 1 and 2 games and finished with a record of 14-9 in those games. The only knock would be the easy schedule of non-conference play, which was ranked 347th in the country according to KenPom.
Star Players: Richie Saunders, Egor Demin
Saunders became the unlikely hero for the BYU Cougars this season. After returning to BYU from the transfer portal after the absence of Pope, Saunders caught the vision that Kevin Young had in store for him this season.
Saunders averaged a career-high 16.5 points per game on 51.8% from the field, 43.2% from 3, and 82.5% from the free throw line. He also averaged 1.2 steals per game and was named the Big 12 Most Improved Player, and was named First Team All-Big 12.
Egor Demin came to BYU looking to be a one-and-done, as he is projected to be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA draft. He was the highest-rated recruit in BYU basketball’s history. As a 6-foot-9 point guard from Russia, Demin’s playmaking and passing ability had fans excited all season.
Demin averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. He broke the record for both assists in a debut game with 11 and most assists as a freshman in BYU history with 180. In the tournament against VCU, Demin became the eighth freshman in NCAA history to record 10 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. He joins Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, and others as the only ones to do so.
NCAA Tournament:
No. 6 BYU beat No. 11 VCU in Denver 80-71 to get its first NCAA tournament win since 2011. The fun didn’t stop there as the Cougars hung on to beat No. 3 Wisconsin 91-89, advancing to their third Sweet 16 appearance in program history. BYU then fell short in the Sweet 16, losing to No. 2 Alabama 113-88, on the Crimson Tide’s NCAA record 25 made 3’s.
AP Poll:
Started the season unranked, but throughout the season, steadily climbed up to finish No. 13 in the AP poll. Once the Cougars were ranked, they never fell in the rankings as one of the hottest teams in the country.
1. 1980-1981
Record: 25-7 overall, 12-4 WAC
Coach Frank Arnold’s sixth season at BYU was the greatest in the history of BYU basketball. With two future Boston Celtics on the roster in Danny Ainge and Fred Roberts, the Cougars made the greatest NCAA tournament run in BYU history.
Notable Wins:
The most notable win in arguably BYU history is in the Sweet 16 against No. 2 Notre Dame, where Ainge drove the length of the court and scored a game-winning layup as time expired to win 51-50. This moved BYU onto its first and only Elite 8 appearance in program history.
The No. 18 Cougars also managed to pull off a win in the last game of the regular season at home vs No. 9 Utah in blowout fashion, winning 95-76. Ainge put up 35 points in his final home game in the Marriott Center in front of 23,000 fans.
Strength of Schedule:
The Cougars played a tough non-conference schedule, playing top 25 teams such as No. 7 Oregon State and No. 17 Illinois. In the conference, both Utah and Wyoming were ranked No. 14 and No. 17 to end the year. The NCAA tournament was also filled with No. 10 UCLA and No. 7 Notre Dame, making it a very difficult schedule.
Star Player: Danny Ainge
Photo by BYU Photo
In his senior season, Ainge led the Cougars in points and assists on their way to an Elite 8 run. He averaged 24.4 points per game, shooting 51.8% from the field and 4.0 assists. Ainge was named the National Player of the Year, First Team All-American, and WAC Player of the Year. He would go on to be drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 31st pick in the second round.
NCAA Tournament:
No. 6 BYU won the first round over No. 11 Princeton 60-51. It continued winning in the second round against No. 3 UCLA, 78-55. In the Sweet 16, Danny Ainge’s heroics pulled the Cougars over No. 2 Notre Dame 51-50. By the Elite Eight, the heroics ended as BYU fell to No. 1 Virginia 74-60. It is still the only Elite Eight appearance in program history.
AP Poll:
Started the season at No. 18 in the country and got as high as No. 15. After the season’s success, finished the year at No. 16.
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