Over the 32 days leading up to college basketball season, we’re profiling 32 different teams who could be in the NIT mix, aided in this effort by those who know them best (or the closest we could get). Today, Mitch Harper responds by email to our questions about BYU.
Mitch Harper is a BYU insider and radio host for KSL Sports. He can be found on Twitter/X at @Mitch_Harper.
Here’s the full list of 32 for 32’s published so far, with links:
- Auburn, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- BYU, with Mitch Harper
- Cincinnati, with Zach Fries
- Dayton, with Tyler Cronin
- Duquesne, with Tristan Freeman
- Indiana, with Matt Cox
- Iona, with Sam Federman
- Iowa State, with Joe Stunardi
- James Madison, with Bennett Conlin
- Loyola, with Ky McKeon
- Michigan, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- Missouri, with Jim Root
- North Texas, with Harry Miers
- Northwestern, with John Templon
- Notre Dame, with Stuart McGrath
- Ohio State, with Mark Titus
- Oregon State, with Andy Dieckhoff
- Penn State, with DJ Bauer
- South Carolina, with Brian Rauf
- St. Bonaventure, with SBUnfurled
- St. John’s, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- Syracuse, with the Marshall Street Podcast
- Texas, with NIT Stu
- Utah, with Andrew Crowley
- Virginia Tech, with Ken Pomeroy
- Washington State, with Dave Andersen
- Wisconsin, with Cole Amundson
The Barking Crow: BYU was close to the NIT last year, but ultimately fell short. What are expectations like this season in Provo, and what needs to happen to get up above that NIT cut line?
Expectations are low for BYU this season entering their first season in the Big 12. But there’s a glimmer of hope to reach the NIT because of the new rules, especially with BYU in a P6 league.
The key for BYU is to defend home court. ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla, Mr. Big 12 as I call him, said that he believes the Marriott Center will become one of the top venues in the league right away. BYU has to protect that home court and pull off some upsets.
TBC: Historically, BYU has been an infrequent but strong NIT presence, winning it all in ’51 and ’66 but only averaging one appearance per decade prior to 2000. Recently, the Cougars have been a major player, making the Final Four twice and receiving three NIT invitations in a row between 2016 and 2018 (one of the longest streaks in recent memory). How do current BYU fans think about the NIT and the role it plays in the program’s past and present?
In the past, BYU fans loathed the NIT—especially in 2013, 2016-2018, when they were navigating the WCC and it was only a handful of years removed from the days of Jimmer. BYU fans wanted more from the program. This year? It would be celebrated as a step in the right direction after an underwhelming season a year ago.
TBC: With the NIT Final Four in Las Vegas last season, those of us close to the tournament were, admittedly, really hoping for BYU to make it to the final stages, for the sake of attendance and atmosphere. This year, the semifinals and championship head to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. If BYU were to qualify, what kind of turnout should we expect from the Cougar faithful?
There wouldn’t be much of a turnout from BYU fans in Indianapolis. Some BYU fans would show up. They had fans pop up in Croatia and Italy during the summer tour. BYU fans have a knack to show up everywhere. But the Midwest isn’t a hotspot for BYU fandom.
TBC: One team that did qualify for last year’s NIT Final Four was Utah Valley, hailing from Orem, just a few miles from the BYU campus. What’s the dynamic between BYU and UVU within the broader Provo–Orem community?
BYU doesn’t think about UVU much. Now that BYU is moving into the Big 12, I doubt we see the two programs square off against each other. It doesn’t help BYU’s willingness to schedule them when the Wolverines defeated them in the last two meetings, one of which was when BYU was the No. 12 ranked team in the nation in 2021.
TBC: It’s BYU’s first year in the Big 12. Who—and we’ll limit this to only teams already in the conference this year—do you think could be a new BYU rival?
K-State. Mark Pope and Jerome Tang already exchanged some words over the recruitment of transfer guard Ques Glover. BYU coach Mark Pope claimed Glover left BYU because of NIL. Tang said it had nothing to do with NIL. I have a feeling that could be a spark to a potential rivalry, and it helps that they will square off against each other in Provo and Manhattan this year.
TBC: Notably joining the Big 12 *next* year is Utah. 2024–25 will be the first time BYU and its biggest rival will be in the same conference in more than a decade, though the teams have played on the basketball court almost every year since both left the Mountain West. How do BYU fans feel about the reunion? What place does men’s basketball hold in the overall rivalry?
BYU fans are not happy about Utah joining the Big 12. Cougar fans wanted to enjoy their own conference setup as the Utes have enjoyed for the past decade in the PAC-12. But now that it’s here, it will be great to see this rivalry reignited again. It’s been dead outside of a punch from Nick Emery in 2015, since the two programs were in the WCC and Pac-12. It’s a great series that use to be the top sporting event in the rivalry in the 1970s. I feel Big 12 affiliation kickstarts this rivalry to new heights on the hardwood.
TBC: Dare we dream of a BYU NIT title?
Possibly. Here’s why: Being in a Power Six league, BYU has a chance to get a high seed and play games at home. BYU will need to be a lights out three-point shooting team and they need UC Irvine transfer Dawson Baker to stay healthy. They are going to be battle tested in the Big 12, so yes, begin dreaming about that NIT glory like it’s 1951 or 1966 all over again.
