PROVO, Utah – In a high-stakes Big 12 conference basketball match, Brigham Young University protected their home court on Tuesday night, prevailing over Baylor with a final score of 78-71 at the Marriott Center in front of a packed crowd of 17,978. The No. 25 Cougars redeemed themselves after suffering an 81-72 defeat to the No. 11 Bears in Waco, Texas, last month, showcasing a remarkable performance with 14 successful 3-pointers and 16 points from Jaxson Robinson.
BYU’s victory improved their conference record to 7-6 and their overall record to 19-7, securing their fourth consecutive win at home. On the other hand, Baylor now stands at 8-5 in the league and 19-7 overall. The game saw three crucial elements contributing to the Cougars’ triumph.
First, the key statistical factor of the game was the significant difference in second-chance points. The Cougars capitalized on 16 offensive rebounds, converting them into 20 second-chance points, while Baylor only managed to secure four second-chance points. Additionally, BYU’s Aly Khalifa’s excellent 3-point shooting, with a 4 off 6 record, resulted in 14 points along with seven rebounds and seven assists, contributing to the Cougars’ 39-30 rebounding advantage over the Bears.
Moreover, a critical turning point in the game occurred when Miro Little drew a controversial flagrant 1 foul on Richie Saunders, which led to a couple of free throws and a 27-21 lead for Baylor. However, this call seemed to ignite the Cougars, who responded with an 8-0 run to seize a 29-27 lead with 5:33 left in the first half.
Furthermore, despite Baylor’s initial strong 3-point shooting, including Jalen Bridges’ early success, the Bears’ shooting cooled down after a hot start, with only five of 20 attempts resulting in successful 3-pointers. Bridges, who led the Bears with 15 points, saw a marked decrease in his scoring impact compared to the previous matchup between the two teams.
Overall, BYU’s resilience, strong rebounding, and consistent 3-point shooting were decisive factors in their victory over Baylor, solidifying their position in the competitive Big 12 conference.