KANSAS CITY (ABC4 Sports) – The BYU basketball team was on the verge of losing to Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament, but the Cougars rallied late to fall short, 81-67.
The #25 Red Raiders, led by Pop Isaacs and Chance McMillian, blew a 23-point lead at the half on Thursday, and a 15-0 run on BYU proved to be too little, too late.
Heading into the game, BYU was eager to avenge their earlier loss to Texas Tech, but Red Raiders fans weren't having the same idea.
“I heard some kind of language, like they were ready and excited for us,” Texas Tech guard Kerwin Walton said. “But they didn't know how ready we were for them.”
Isaacs had 22 points, McMillian had 17 off the bench and Walton had 12 for the fourth-seeded Red Raiders (23-9), who will face No. 1 Houston on Friday night in search of the Big 12 Tournament championship. I moved on to the battle. .
BYU at least made the game interesting with a 15-0 second half run, and when Jackson Robinson made two 3-pointers and Richie Sanders made two free throws, the Cougars were up 62 with 5:04 left. It was close to within -55.
But undeterred, Joe Toussaint made a 3-pointer for Texas Tech, and when Trevin Knell's 3-pointer rimmed out at the other end, Darrion Williams added one more and Grant McCasland – Gave the coach's team the necessary leeway.
“They were really aggressive,” BYU guard Spencer Johnson said. “We ended up coming out a little flat, and that was probably the frustrating part of it was not being able to hit the ground running early in the game.”
“Credit to Texas Tech is huge,” BYU head coach Mark Pope said. “Their speed and explosiveness cut over and over again, and their downhill ability was tough. They were really focused and completely focused.”
Robinson led the Cougars with 22 points and made 14 of 30 3-pointers in the second round against UCF, but was just 7 of 35 against Texas Tech. Husseini Traore scored 13 points and Saunders 12.
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid watched courtside at T-Mobile Center, replacing his familiar red windbreaker with a white and blue one with the BYU logo. Reed graduated from there in his 1981 year and began his career with the Cougars in 1982 under Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards. He still speaks fondly of his days in Provo, Utah.
BYU got off to a hot start against UCF, but Texas Tech jumped out to a 12-2 lead and outscored the Cougars 17-4 midway through the first half. Many of the baskets came after offensive rebounds, including a huge 3 by Walton after a missed free throw, but a cold-shooting BYU consistently made nearly every shot it took on the other side of the floor. continued.
At one point, one of the nation's more prolific 3-point shooting teams missed 12 consecutive shots while failing 1-of-19.
“It obviously hurt,” Robinson said of the loss. “But with the tournament coming up, we have to move on and focus on what's ahead. We have bigger goals, so that's what's important.”
Isaacs led the Red Raiders in January, scoring 23 of his 32 points in the second half and helping them rally from a 16-point deficit in Lubbock. The second-team All-Big 12 guard sank a trio of threes and scored 15 points at the break, helping his teammates make enough plays in the second half to soak up the Cougars' big runs.
“We came in locked in,” Walton said. “Hearing them say some things about us before the game made me feel a little bit better. And it's the Big 12 Tournament. We're excited to come here and go for a run. I am.”
BYU will return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021, likely entering as a No. 5 or No. 6 seed. The Cougars will find out their Big Dance opponent and destination on Sunday.
