BYU Basketball Rolling Out Fourth Starting Lineup In As Many Games
Feb 10, 2022, 8:38 PM
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
BYU basketball coach Mark Pope wasn’t kidding when he said he would consider lineup changes before each game. So for tonight’s game against Loyola Marymount, Pope is rolling out a fourth different lineup in as many games.
Another lineup change for BYU tonight: Te'Jon Lucas is back from injury and back in the opening five, while Trevin Knell goes to the bench. It's BYU's fourth different starting group in the last four games, and eighth on the season.
At LMU:
Lucas
Barcello
Knight
George
Traore— Greg Wrubell (@gregwrubell) February 11, 2022
BYU guard Te’Jon Lucas is back in the lineup. The grad transfer guard from Milwaukee returns after missing the Gonzaga game due to head and neck pain. But Lucas’s return to the lineup isn’t the only change.
Junior guard Trevin Knell moves from the starting five to the bench. Knell has been in the starting five since early December after Pope had to retool his lineup due to the season-ending injury to Gavin Baxter in a loss against UVU.
BYU basketball currently going through a losing skid
BYU is currently going through a four-game losing streak, and with their NCAA Tournament prospects hanging in the balance, Pope’s squad needs answers in a hurry. Knell is viewed by many in the BYU basketball program -including Alex Barcello- as the best shooter on the team. However, this season, Knell has seen his three-point shooting take a step back. Last year, Knell shot 45.3% from three. This year, he’s shooting 36.4% from beyond the arc.
Seneca Knight, a transfer from San Jose State and LSU, has recently found his groove within BYU’s rotation. The 6-foot-6 forward is one of BYU’s top defenders and in four of the last six games, he has reached double-figures in scoring.
BYU’s entire starting five against LMU includes Alex Barcello, Lucas, Knight, Gideon George, and Fousseyni Traore.
Tip-off for BYU versus LMU is at 9 p.m. on ESPNU. In addition, you can listen to the radio broadcast on KSL NewsRadio, 102.7 FM and 1160 AM, your legacy home of the BYU Cougars.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.