BYU basketball: Cougars extend winning streak with victory over Illinois State

BYU basketball came out red-hot against Illinois State and used a big first half to coast by the Redbirds 80-68 on Wednesday night at the Marriott Center.

BYU basketball came out like gangbusters against Illinois State on Wednesday night. After the first 20 minutes the Cougars were leading 39-17. While the Redbirds bounced back nicely in the second half, it was too little too late.

With the win, BYU basketball improves to 7-2. Illinois State dropped to 4-5.

TJ Haws has seemingly broken out of his prolonged shooting slump. Haws led the Cougars with 20 points on the night, shooting 50 percent. He dished out three assists and did not turn the ball over.

Solid night for the Ginger Mamba.

Not only was Haws solid, but Elijah Bryant had a big night as well. Bryant nearly recorded a triple-double, scoring 17 points while adding nine rebounds and nine assists.

And not to be forgotten was Yoeli Childs, who continued his hyper-efficient season. Childs scored 17 points on 60 percent shooting and added seven rebounds.

If there’s any concern for BYU basketball, it was giving up 51 points in the second half, while allowing the Redbirds to shoot nearly 70 percent. It wasn’t great for a team that’s been hanging its hat on defense – but it isn’t the end of the world. The Cougars’ lead was never in jeopardy and it was apparent the team was content to coast through the final 15 minutes or so.

Next up for the Cougars is Weber State at Vivint Smarthome Arena on Saturday. Following that, BYU will return to Provo on Dec. 16 to host Utah.

Three Things We Learned

1. You need to play the full 40 minutes. I’m sure Dave Rose, Heath Schroyer and Co. already know this, but the Cougars need to play the full 40 minutes. Slouching in the second half slid against Illinois State – but against St. Mary’s or Gonzaga, that can’t happen.

2. TJ Haws is back. Haws is such a smooth player that it looks particularly jarring when his shots don’t fall. He’s fluid, weaving about the court in a way that makes you wonder if he’s changed the difficulty from “All-American” to “Beginner.” After a rough stretch of shooting, he appears to be back to his former self.

3. Just win, baby. The victory over Illinois State marks the fourth-straight for the Cougars. After losing to then-No. 25 Alabama, the Cougars defeated UMass, UVU, Utah State and now Illinois State by an average of 12.5 points per game.