PROVO, Utah-Friday, BYU men’s basketball tips off the 2019-20 season by hosting NCAA Division II foe Texas-Tyler at the Marriott Center.

This is the Cougars’ first game under new head coach Mark Pope.

Pope has big shoes to fill as he takes over for retired coach Dave Rose, who was 348-135 (.720) at the helm from 2005-06 to 2018-19.

The Cougars will be headlined by two-time first-team All-West Coast Conference senior forward Yoeli Childs, (21.2 points, 9.7 rebounds per game in 2018-19).

Other BYU stalwarts include senior guard TJ Haws (17.8 points, 5.1 assists per  game in 2018-19), a first-team All-WCC performer in 2017 and a second-team member in 2018-19 and senior guard Jake Toolson (15.7 points, 4.5 rebounds per game at Utah Valley in 2018-19).

The Patriots compete in the Lone Star Conference and are coming off an 8-17 campaign in 2018-19.

Sophomore guard Darius Alford returns as Texas-Tyler’s leading scorer as he netted 18.6 points per game last season for the Patriots.