1 week Ago By Field Level Media
BYU will look to increase several winning streaks when Idaho visits Provo, Utah, on Saturday afternoon. The Cougars (3-0) hope to pick up their fourth win under new coach Kevin Young, while extending multiple home winning streaks. BYU has defeated 16 consecutive nonconference foes in a row at the Marriott Center and has won 21 straight at home in November, dating back to 2019.
In addition, the Vandals (1-2 this season) are 2-3 all-time against BYU. Their last win over the Cougars was a 42-41 victory at the Helms Foundation Invitational Tournament in Los Angeles on Dec. 29, 1947.
Dawson Baker led BYU to its most recent win on Wednesday, a 99-55 blowout against visiting Queens University of Charlotte. Baker scored 17 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and drained six 3-pointers. Trevin Knell added 16 points, freshman Egor Demin scored 14 with five assists, and Utah transfer Keba Keita had another double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Young liked how his team responded in the second half after losing a bit of momentum -- understandable considering the Cougars roared to a 28-2 lead. "I think the biggest thing was that we got off to a good start," Young said. "We had a lull in the second half, and I just wasn't happy with our level of focus.
We challenged the guys in the timeout to forget how much time there was on the clock, but I thought from that point forward it was a totally different game. "I like the way our guys responded to being challenged," he continued. "It was good to see some guys get going offensively.
There was a lot to like." BYU shot 51.3 percent overall and outrebounded Queens 59-22.
Idaho comes in having lost two consecutive outings -- 79-75 vs. UC Davis on Nov. 7 and Monday's 90-67 setback at Washington State.
Junior guard Isaiah Brickner, a transfer from Marist College, topped Idaho with 13 points in his first start on Monday. Julius Mims contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds. But the Vandals couldn't overcome shooting 36.
5 percent and losing the battle of the boards, 45-29. "The big thing for us was our physicality," Idaho coach Alex Pribble told the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. "They outrebounded us in a major way.
And, you know, you can't win on the road if you're not going to rebound the basketball." --Field Level Media.
