Fousseyni Traore scored 20 factors and grabbed 10 rebounds off the bench Saturday evening as No. 25 BYU exploded within the second half to rout visiting West Virginia 77-56 in a Massive 12 Convention recreation in Provo, Utah.
Egor Demin added 15 factors for the Cougars (21-8, 12-6), which tied No. 9 Iowa State for fourth within the convention with two video games left. BYU, which has received six straight video games by a median of 14.2 factors, additionally bought 13 from Richie Saunders.
Javon Small scored 15 factors for the Mountaineers (17-12, 8-10), who’ve alternated wins and losses during the last 5 video games to stay squarely on the NCAA Event bubble. West Virginia made simply 33.3 % of its area targets, together with 8 of 27 (29.6 %) from the 3-point line.
However, it was nonetheless an in depth recreation at halftime earlier than the Cougars exploded. They opened the second half with a 10-2 run, taking a 35-21 lead when Keba Keita dunked off Demin’s feed with 16:44 left. The margin reached 20 on Demin’s 3-pointer on the 9:52 mark and BYU by no means regarded again.
The Cougars canned 20 of 33 pictures within the second half to complete the sport at 52.7 % from the sector. In addition they managed the glass 43-32 and outscored the guests within the paint by a whopping 46-22.
BYU entered the sport as the primary group this century to take pleasure in three straight video games with a minimum of 90 factors, 50 % area purpose capturing, 12 3-pointers and 12 or fewer turnovers. A sluggish begin doomed that streak, although not the Cougars’ eventual success.
The Mountaineers slowed the tempo and defended nicely sufficient to personal a 17-13 lead with 4:51 left when Small drilled a protracted 3-pointer from Toby Okani. West Virginia made solely 25 % from the ground within the half however dedicated only one turnover.
Nevertheless, the Cougars lastly bought going and ended the half with a 12-2 run that gave them a 25-19 halftime lead. Saunders and Traore mixed for the group’s closing eight factors in a 2:17 span.
–Area Degree Media
