BYU’s Mawot Mag Explained Final Defensive Stand To Defeat Wisconsin
Mar 23, 2025, 1:46 AM | Updated: 1:58 am
DENVER – There were 13.5 seconds remaining between BYU basketball reaching its first Sweet 16 in 14 years.
On the other hand, BYU was 13.5 seconds away from going to overtime or, worse, from suffering a collapse to the Wisconsin Badgers.
BYU built up an 11-point lead with 2:35 left in regulation. They looked to be cruising to the Regional Semifinals in Newark, New Jersey until Wisconsin star John Tonje put the Badgers on his back.
BYU led 91-89 with 13.5 seconds left in regulation. Wisconsin had the ball.
You knew the ball was going to Tonje.
Mawot Mag gets a defensive stop to send BYU to the Sweet 16
The man to defend him for BYU was former Rutgers transfer Mawot Mag.
Mag played Wisconsin often when he was in the Big Ten with the Scarlet Knights, but it was his first game going up against Tonje.
He was up for the challenge.
Mag explained what the message was from Kevin Young before the final play.
BYU SURVIVES AND ADVANCES 😱
THE COUGARS ARE OFF TO THE #SWEET16 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/feAI9pW5t4
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2025
“Just go out there and get the stop. Get the job done. That’s it,” Mag said as to what Kevin Young told the team in the final huddle.
“We have everything we need right there. And we showed it. Just go out there and just get the job done. We executed the game plan.”
It was an ISO play for Tonje, and Mag defended him one-on-one. Tonje attempted a difficult fadeaway that ended up being an airball.
The ball landed in the hands of Keba Keita, who then sent an outlet to Trey Stewart to run out the clock and send BYU to its first Sweet 16 since 2011.
BYU 91, Wisconsin 89. Final.
On a night of high-powered offenses, Mawot Mag closed out the game with an impressive defensive stand.
“Tonje is a phenomenal player. I just wanted to make it as difficult as possible for him,” Mag said on Saturday night inside BYU’s locker room.
Mawot Mag on the final defensive stand to seal the 91-89 win for BYU over Wisconsin.@kslsports pic.twitter.com/HySFWMqppQ
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 23, 2025
“I knew he was going to come down here full of steam. I didn’t want to give him a foul because of the double bonus. But I also wanted to make sure he had a contested two. I was going to live with that. I didn’t want to foul him and bail him out because he made multiple and ones. So I just wanted to live with him making a tough shot.”
Mission accomplished.
BYU is off to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011.
BYU basketball’s season turned around with Mag in the starting five
Since Mag was inserted into BYU’s starting lineup on January 14 against Oklahoma State, the Cougars are 17-4.
Mag has brought toughness and maturity to BYU’s lineup, which has been a game-changer for Kevin Young’s group.
They will look to keep stacking up wins next Thursday against either Saint Mary’s or Alabama in the Sweet 16 in Newark, New Jersey.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
