LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Pop Isaacs scored 23 of his career-high 32 points in the second half and No. 25 Texas Tech overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 20 BYU on Saturday night. defeated 85-78.
Warren Washington had 19 points and nine rebounds and hit a jump hook in the lane with seven minutes left to give the Red Raiders (15-3, 4-1 Big 12) their first lead at 64-62. . Texas Tech shot 63% in the second half.
Ali Khalifa had a season-high 21 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars (14-4, 2-3), who led by 17 points at the half, but made 8 of 12 turnovers after the break. A rate of 35% was recorded.
Trailing 10-0, the Red Raiders, under first-year coach Grant McCasland, started the second half with an 11-0 run and finished the rally in front of an enthusiastic crowd to improve their home record to 11. They maintained a perfect record with no wins and no losses.
“What a great atmosphere today,” McCasland said. “I thought we did it with defense and grit. The fight you saw in the second half is the fight they show every day.”
With 7:32 left, Isaacs tied the game for the first time at 62-62 with a steal and a layup assist from Chance McMillian.
Isaacs led Texas Tech in 3-point shooting for good, with the sophomore guard making 6 of 9 from long range, putting BYU back on top at 66-64.
The Red Raiders scored the first 11 points of the second half in the first three minutes, and BYU's lead of 16 at halftime was cut to two with 13 minutes remaining.
“I thought they did an unbelievable job with that energy, especially pushing the ball in transition,” BYU coach Mark Pope said. “We actually did a little uncharacteristically bad job of managing our transitions in the first six minutes of the second half.”
The Red Raiders were coming off a 23-point loss at No. 5 Houston after reaching the rankings for the first time under McCasland.
Isaacs, who was acquitted by the Texas Tech Title IX Division of Civil Law for sexually assaulting a teenage girl at a tournament in the Bahamas in November, had five rebounds, four assists, Recorded 3 steals.
“My teammates have supported me and pushed me,” Isaacs said in his first public comments since news of the lawsuit broke two weeks ago. “I'm enjoying the game of basketball, which I love. To be honest, everything has gone pretty well.”
BYU's Richie Sanders scored 16 points in his first start of the season with Noah Waterman out for the first time this season. However, after halftime, they only scored three points on three shots.
McMillian scored 14 points and made all five of his free throws, making Texas Tech 17-of-18 from the line.
big picture
BYU: The Cougars led the nation in 3-point shooting, making 10 of 20 from deep in the first half. However, his form declined after the break, and he only made 3 of 19 shots.
Texas Tech: Their defensive intensity in the second half was the driving force behind the comeback. The Red Raiders outscored the Cougars 17-2 in points off turnovers after intermission.
next
BYU: Tuesday night, host No. 5 Houston.
Texas Tech: At No. 15 Oklahoma State next Saturday.
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