title image via FAMU Basketball
Courtesy of FAMU Athletics
The Florida A&M Rattlers (3-6) will face a tough test when they travel to Provo to take on BYU (8-2) on Friday night at the Marriott Center. This marks FAMU’s seventh road game as the Rattlers continue their challenging non-conference schedule.
The Rattlers are coming off an 89-59 loss at Utah and will look to bounce back against another strong Big 12 opponent. FAMU has shown it can put points on the board, averaging 74.2 points per game, led by Sterling Young (12.1 ppg) and Milton Matthews (10.9 ppg). Matthews has been particularly effective from three-point range, connecting on 24 triples this season.
However, FAMU will face a BYU team that has been impressive on both ends of the floor. The Cougars average 83.9 points per game while holding opponents to 65.5 points. BYU features a balanced offensive attack led by Egor Demin (13.3 ppg, 5.8 apg) and Richie Saunders (12.3 ppg).
A key battle will be on the boards, where FAMU has struggled with a -4.8 rebound margin this season. The Rattlers must contend with BYU’s strong rebounding frontcourt, particularly Keba Keita (9.0 rpg) and Fousseyni Traore (7.0 rpg).
For FAMU to compete, they’ll need to improve their ball security (14.2 turnovers per game) and take advantage of their three-point shooting, where they average nearly ten made threes per game. The Rattlers’ bench, which averages 39.4 points per game (6th nationally), could be a factor.
