No. 21 BYU Ends Losing Skid With Impressive Win Over Texas
Jan 27, 2024, 2:09 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2024, 5:27 pm
PROVO, Utah – The only regular season game between BYU and Texas as Big 12 foes goes in favor of the Cougars.
No. 21 BYU defeated Texas 84-72. The win ends BYU’s two-game losing streak and improves its record to 15-5 overall and 3-4 in Big 12 play.
BYU’s offense was flying high as they finished the game shooting 64% from the field.
Texas was solid, knocking down 44% of its shots, but they couldn’t keep up with BYU, who put together an impressive showing in front of a sold-out crowd.
It was the first time since 1974 that BYU was hosting Texas in Provo. They made it count.
Hot Shooting From BYU and Texas in First Half
13:42 – High-powered start for both teams. But it’s a role reversal: BYU is operating in the paint, while Texas is lights out from three.
BYU has 12 points in the paint. Texas is 4-for-4 from three.
Four different Texas players knocked down threes in the opening action.
BYU is finding early success with a slashing Noah Waterman to the basket. Texas has brought a lot of energy in the early minutes on the defensive end. Texas 16, BYU 12.
9:55 – Texas burns a timeout after BYU goes on a 12-2 run that puts the Cougars in front by five. BYU has knocked down its last seven field goals. Fousseyni Traore is playing explosive off the block coming off the bench. BYU 26, Texas 21.
2:51 – BYU is shooting 70% from the field and has built up a game-high lead of 10 points. The Cougars have reeled off an 11-2 run. BYU 41, Texas 31.
HALF – BYU only attempted eight three-pointers in the first half. Texas fired off more with nine. The Cougars have lived in the paint with 28 points to Texas’ 14.
Two BYU players, Jaxson Robinson and Noah Waterman, led the Cougars in scoring with nine each. BYU 44, Texas 41.
BYU pulled away in the Second Half
18:16 – Texas scored a quick bucket out of the halftime break, but then BYU reeled off an 8-0 run thanks to a pair of threes from Noah Waterman, then Spencer Johnson that forced Rodney Terry to burn a timeout. BYU 52, Texas 43.
15:53 – Texas has only committed four turnovers so far, but BYU has done a solid job taking care of the ball as well—only eight turnovers from BYU. BYU 56, Texas 48.
11:50 – Fans were not happy with the officiating during these four minutes. They had a good reason to be upset.
Referees made their presence felt with excessive whistles, and some of the calls were questionable.
A jump ball was called after it appeared on replay that BYU’s Fousseyni Traore was hit on the arm. The call resulted in possession for Texas.
Then Dylan Disu pushed off on Traore, and the referees called a foul on Traore. Boos reigned down from the sold-out crowd. BYU 61, UT 52.
8:30 – Fousseyni Traore is having his best performance since nonconference play. He’s perfect from the field, knocking down all five of his attempts. Along with his impact on offense, he’s also making a difference on defense.
What a sequence of plays from #BYU.
Fousseyni Traore with the block on Max Abmas, then Richie Saunders buries a three on the offensive end.#BYUHoops #Big12
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 27, 2024
Texas coach Rodney Terry had to burn a timeout after Traore blocked Texas star Max Abmas. The block then led to BYU’s Richie Saunders burying a wide-open three on the next possession. BYU 72, UT 55.
3:51 – Texas cut BYU’s lead down to nine after a quick 6-0 run that was fueled by BYU turnovers. Cougars have reached 15 turnovers to Texas’ six.
But then Fouss Traore hit a tough baseline floater to get the lead back to 11 at the final media timeout. BYU 78, UT 67.
1:38 – Fousseyni Traore continues to be the highlight of BYU’s night. Traore knocked down a pair of free throws. But he was active on the glass, coming up with two offensive rebounds to keep a possession alive after his first two misses of the night. BYU 80, UT 68.
FINAL – No. 21 BYU defeats Texas 84-72 in Provo. Noah Waterman and Jaxson Robinson led BYU in scoring with 17 points. Fousseyni Traore finished with 16 points.
Next Up
BYU has a midweek bye, then heads back on the road for a cross-country clash against West Virginia next Saturday in Morgantown.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s’ coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.
