Talk about a much-needed win.
BYU broke out of its recent funk to earn a convincing 83-67 road victory over Colorado Tuesday night in Boulder.
3 takeaways
At long last, BYU finally won a true road game. Following disappointing showings at Providence, Houston, TCU and Utah, Kevin Young’s Cougars finally found the win column in an opposing gym.
Sure, it came against a Colorado squad still searching for its first Big 12 win and in an arena without much juice, but BYU desperately needed to prove it could win conference games outside of Provo. Perhaps getting the monkey off their back in Boulder will lead to further road success for the Cougars.
BYU shot a sizzling 58.5% from the field and 45.8% from deep, dishing out 16 assists as a team and forcing 16 Colorado turnovers.
The Cougars came out firing in the second half. The contest’s first 20 minutes were rather frustrating, tense and chippy, as BYU went into halftime with a slight 38-36 advantage and appeared somewhat overwhelmed by the Buffaloes.
Oh, how quickly things can change.
The Cougars played arguably their best basketball of the season in the first six minutes of the second half, going on a 23-2 run to all but bury Colorado.
Much of BYU’s newfound success came from pushing the tempo offensively, opening up new passing opportunities for Egor Demin and leading to greater efficiency. Demin had one of his better nights of Big 12 action, recording seven assists all in the second half.
Richie Saunders dazzled once again — but this time with a strong supporting cast. Saunders has been BYU’s season MVP thus far, partially due to the outings where he ends up as the only Cougar to contribute significantly or just flat out play well.
There would be no shortage of help for Saunders against Colorado. While BYU came into Tuesday averaging just 70.3 points per game against Big 12 foes, the Cougars scored 83 against the Buffaloes, with 25 coming from Saunders and eight players adding another 58.
Trevin Knell was BYU’s second-leading scorer behind Saunders, posting 14 points from four made 3-pointers. Mawot Mag had another solid night with 11 points and five rebounds, while Demin recorded eight points, seven assists, four steals and two blocks.
- Strong shooting performance: BYU shot an impressive 53.1% from the field and 41.7% from three-point range in their victory over Colorado. Their efficient shooting helped them build an early lead and maintain control throughout the game.
- Balanced scoring attack: Four players scored in double figures for BYU, showcasing their depth and ability to spread the scoring load. Alex Barcello led the way with 17 points, followed by Caleb Lohner with 15 points, Gideon George with 14 points, and Richard Harward with 11 points.
- Dominance on the boards: BYU outrebounded Colorado 38-26, with Harward and George leading the way with 8 and 7 rebounds, respectively. Their strong presence on the glass helped them control the paint and limit Colorado’s second-chance opportunities.
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