3 takeaways from BYU’s loss to Providence

It’s BYU’s first big loss of the year.

The Cougars lost 83-64 to Providence on Tuesday night, marking their second loss in their last three games.

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Egor Demin fought mightily. The freshman phenom had the most frustrating effort of his college career so far, scoring just six points – all on free throws – and shooting a shocking 0-10 from the field. With Demin off, BYU’s operations can get out of sync much more easily.

The shooting differences were extreme. Providence made 59.5% of its field goals while the Cougars shot a dismal 33.3% from the field and 28% from 3-point range. To make matters worse, BYU attempted 27 more shots than the Friars, but the higher volume never translated into greater efficiency.

The Cougars are an elite offensive rebounding team. BYU was subpar defensively and very prone to misses, but you can’t deny their excellence on the glass. The Cougars won the rebounding battle 39-32, thanks in part to a dominant 21-2 offensive advantage.