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BYU Basketball: Cougars rally, close in on 2nd place WCC finish

By Adam Gibby

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 05: Basketballs are shown in a ball rack before a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament between the San Francisco Dons and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 5, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs won 88-60. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 05: Basketballs are shown in a ball rack before a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament between the San Francisco Dons and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 5, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs won 88-60. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

After trailing in the second half by 14, BYU found a way to hand San Diego their second home loss of the season.

Yoeli Childs and TJ Haws combined for 70.4% of BYU points against San Diego. Normally that would suggest that BYU lost the game. But this game was the exception because TJ Haws scored 35 points and Yoeli Childs added 27.

The game began with San Diego starting off hot taking a quick 24-10 lead eight minutes into the game. The Cougars rallied and kept the game within about ten points for the remainder of the half.

The game seemed all but over when San Diego star forward Isaiah Pineiro knocked down a jumper with 16:06 remaining in the game to put San Diego up 53-39 and the momentum seemed to be completely in the Toreros favor. After a timeout things drastically changed though. Over the next seven minutes the Cougars would go on a 20-7 run nearly completely erasing the deficit to 59-60.

The final nine minutes of regulation saw both teams go back and forth with neither team ever leading by more than two points. The Cougars had an opportunity in the final minute to ice the game at the free throw line, but Zac Seljaas missed the front end of a one-and-one. An offensive foul by San Diego’s Finn Sullivan with six seconds remaining again seemed to give BYU a chance to ice the game or at least force a three point attempt for overtime. Emery missed the first of his first free throws as well before hitting the second. In fact, BYU missed six of their final nine free throws in regulation to give USD a chance to win or put the game into overtime on a final shot.

Unwilling to foul and perhaps celebrating a bit too early, the Cougars left just enough time for Isaiah Wright to sprint up the length of the court and make an uncontested layup before the buzzer sending the game into overtime.

In overtime TJ Haws and Yoeli Childs took over and outscored the Toreros 13-7. In the final 27 seconds BYU again had an opportunity to put the game out of reach with free throws and this time they wouldn’t give San Diego a chance to make a comeback. TJ Haws hit all four of his free throw attempts in the final seconds to give BYU the 88-82 win.

Game Notes:

  • The win moves BYU to 9-3 in WCC play and keeps them in 2nd place overall with four games remaining. San Diego drops to 5-6 and stays in 5th place in the standings.
  • TJ Haws passed his father, Marty Haws for 23rd all-time in BYU scoring. Haws also scored a career high 35 points.
  • The win was the first win for BYU in San Diego since 2016 when the Cougars won 69-67.
  • The overtime win was the first win for the Cougars in extra time. Coming into the game, BYU was 0-2 this season in games that went to overtime (Illinois State and UNLV).
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