Is BYU basketball's season salvageable?

BYU basketball beat Gonzaga on their home floor and it seemed to have all the momentum it needed heading through the rest of conference play. That momentum seemed to have lasted only a few days after losing to Portland on their home court.

Before the win at Gonzaga, their chances of a bid were hanging in the balance of the Dave Rose’s Cougars’ ability to secure solid wins. They struggled at the beginning of the season losing games they should have won. The win at the Kennel helped reinforce the Cougars’ chances of making the NCAA tournament. However, the loss to Portland has sent the Cougars’ chances of a tournament bid back onto life support.

Now the looming question is BYU basketball’s season salvageable?

The Cougars still have 12 regular season games left on their schedule. Most of those games are very manageable and should add another “W” to the win column. But with the Cougars’ apparent struggles on defense and offense, games against the likes of Pepperdine, Saint Mary’s, and Gonzaga will prove to be a real test for BYU.

The feeling is that BYU can’t afford any more losses. If they lose any more games, all they can do is focus on taking home the WCC Championship in order to secure and automatic bid. The Cougars already have five losses and an RPI ranking of 78. Last year, the Cougars had an RPI ranking of 38 heading into the NCAA tournament. Wins against Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga to close out the season are essential to boosting their RPI since the tournament committee relies so heavily on the RPI rankings.

The Cougars aren’t even halfway through conference play yet but feelings of uneasiness surround their tournament hopes. One can only wait and see how it all plays out.