The BYU men's basketball team lost to San Francisco in a quarterfinal at the WCC tournament, dealing a blow to the Cougars' NCAA Tournament hopes.
The Cougars lost 75-63 in the quarterfinal round, and now wait to see if they’ll be chosen to compete in the NCAA Tournament
BYU coach Mark Pope speaks with players during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Provo, Utah. • After the BYU men’s basketball team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the West Coast Conference Tournament, coach Mark Pope said he liked where his team “feels.” He felt his players had fire and hunger, and exhibited no fear.
But about 24 hours after Pope’s comments, the Cougars were packing their bags and headed back to Provo, disappointed that they couldn’t make their conference tournament last just a little longer. BYU lost 73-63 to the San Francisco Dons on Saturday at Orleans Arena, bringing an end to a season that saw the Cougars lose two of their big men to season-ending injuries and go through a few shifts in identity as they tried to adjust.
Now the focus shifts to the team’s NCAA Tournament hopes, which weren’t totally dashed by Saturday’s loss, but certainly did not help. The the latest ESPN bracketology had the Cougars in the First Four Out category. Before the game, they were among the last four in.