So close. BYU once again got into a shootout but this time, they couldn't finish it off. BYU had a chance to take the lead at the end but a rushed shot was missed and the Cougars couldn't recover. TCU got the rebound and made two free throws to seal the deal.
BYU fought hard and was in it the whole game. The Cougars battled back time and time again but just couldn't recover. BYU was hot at the start of the second half but they cooled off in clutch time. BYU could not hit key shots and turnovers were once again a problem, with BYU giving the ball away 16 times and giving up 17 points off turnovers.
The first half was close, with both teams trading the lead. BYU was hot, hitting three after three and giving Fousseyni Traore some good looks down low. BYU would go cold and the Horned Frongs would take over. Near the end of the half, TCU went on an 8-0 run, which BYU answered with a 14-1 run to end the half.
BYU would come out of the halftime break red hot while TCU could not hit anything. BYU would cool down as the game went on and the defense was outmatched by the strong physicality of the TCU attack. Again the teams traded leads until TCU was up by two points. BYU tried to get a three off with no shot clock but Egor Demin missed it, with Keba Keita then committing a foul on the next TCU possession. TCU forward Micah Robinson would make both free throws to make it a four-point game. BYU would fall short and lose 71-67 in Fort Worth.
BYU had some highs, with the bigs Fousseyni Traore and Keba Keita making plays down low. A couple of dunks mixed with a strong paint presence were highlights for BYU. When BYU was hot, they were knocking shots down and forcing turnovers.
BYU still has some things to work on. Passing accuracy and ball handling were an issue and the Cougars were sometimes too quick to fire a three instead of looking for a better shot. BYU played hurry ball too much at the end and missed great opportunities for better shots.
Overall, BYU was better today than they have been in their first two road games. BYU looked organized for most of the game and played with heart. Unfortunately, their mistakes caught up with them and they fell short. Still, there are some positives to take away from this game and BYU can use this game as a learning experience.
BYU Basketball will be back in action at home against Oklahoma State. That game will be on Tuesday, January 14th at 7:00 pm MT. That game can be streamed on ESPN+.