Five Takeaways from BYU's 72-61 Exhibition Win Over Nebraska

A year ago, BYU dropped a 90-89 heartbreaker to Nebraska in an exhibition in Lincoln. On Friday night, the Cougars flipped the script, using a dominant second half (44 points to Nebraska's 29) to pull away for a 72-61 win against the Cornhuskers.

The night was full of long-awaited debuts. Nate Pickens finally suited up for BYU after missing all of last season with an ankle injury. Jaxon Kohler, who grew up roughly 15 minutes from campus, played despite the uncertainty around his future as he continues to fight for a fifth year of eligibility. Collin Chandler made his BYU debut after originally signing with the Cougars in November 2021 before eventually flipping his commitment to Kentucky to follow Mark Pope. And Jake Wahlin, a Provo native who signed with BYU in November 2020, finally played for the Cougars after flipping to Utah and then transferring to Clemson before finding his way back home.

Five-star recruit AJ Williams was also in attendance as part of his official BYU visit.

Here are five takeaways from the matchup.

1. BYU could be a very good rebounding team

BYU outrebounded Nebraska 39-35, and the rebounds came from everywhere. Kohler had a double-double with 10 rebounds, Bruce Branch grabbed six, and Khadim Mboup pulled down five. Even Rob Wright, a smaller guard who still averaged 3.5 rebounds per game last season, finished with five. Wahlin added four, around what he averaged a game last year.

Branch in particular is one to keep an eye on this season. He averaged 10 rebounds a game in high school last year, and his appetite for crashing the glass was clear against Nebraska. He could have a similar impact on the boards as AJ Dybantsa for the Cougars last season, when he averaged 6.8 rebounds per game.

2. Collin Chandler could take the biggest leap on the roster

Chandler led all scorers with 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including two triples. He threw down a few dunks with authority and also had some nice drives to the rim. He made it known that he is a lot more than the "three and D" role he mostly played last year at Kentucky.

After the game, Kevin Young said, "I think that's one of the reasons Collin wanted to come here, cause he felt like we could open his game up a little bit more."

With an expanded role and his athleticism, Chandler has the potential to take his game to the next level this season.

3. Rob Wright looks like a true point guard

Wright finished with 17 points and seven assists, finding four different teammates. He reached at least seven assists in a game only five times last season. He was forced to look to score more often since injuries limited the shooting options around him. Now he has plenty of them: the pick-and-roll game with Kohler, shooters all around the perimeter, and runners in transition. Expect a more free-flowing offense in Provo this season.

4. BYU's defense could be better than people expect

Nebraska had 18 turnovers and BYU took advantage, turning them into 21 points. At times, the Cougars applied fullcourt pressure, using Pickens and Brooks Bahr to pick up guards early in possessions. They also ran several traps on the baseline and in the corner that forced Nebraska to burn a timeout or give the ball away.

Not everyone on the roster has had a strong defensive reputation, but the length is real. Of the players who appeared in the exhibition, Kohler, Branch, Wahlin, Mboup, Tyler Betsey, Dean Rueckert, and Petar Ostojic are all 6'7" or taller. Pickens has the makings of a pesky, lockdown guard and could end up among the team's best defenders. Bahr also had some notable minutes defensively.

5. This team's ceiling changes with Jaxon Kohler

Kohler finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but the way he got there mattered. He was comfortable in the post, using his footwork to score, and he stretched the floor with his three-point shooting, going 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. He has great positional IQ, always seeming to know where to be for rebounds.

Kohler's passing may be the most underrated part of his game. Although he only had one assist, on a few occasions, he kicked out the ball to open shooters beyond the arc, something BYU hasn't gotten much of from its centers in the Young era.

Injury updates

In the postgame press conference, Young mentioned that Brody Kozlowski and Dawson Baker are getting closer to returning from injury, with Kozlowski closer than Baker. Young added that Kozlowski could potentially feature in BYU's next exhibition game against UNLV.