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BYU beats Southern Miss, advances to NIT semifinal

Brandon Davies

Memphis dominated Conference USA this season and was the conference’s only team to make the NCAA tournament. The conference’s second-best team, Southern Miss, has been making a solid run in the NIT. That run came to an end Wednesday night, though, as the Golden Eagles fell to BYU.

BYU brought an 11-point lead into the halftime break and coasted the rest of the way, winning 79-62 at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, Miss. The Cougars shared the basketball and tallied 24 assists on 29 made field goals, led by Matt Carlino with 15 points and nine assists.

The scoring was concentrated in the hands of Carlino, Brock Zylstra, who had 23 points, and Tyler Haws, who had 25. Brandon Davies was one of two Cougars to register a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Cougars missed out on the NCAA tournament of the West Coast Conference, though Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s made the Field of 68. Gonzaga was a No. 1 seed and lost to Wichita State in the Round of 32. Saint Mary’s won its First Four game, but lost to Memphis in the Round of 64.

BYU now moves on to play the winner of Providence-Baylor. That game is currently underway.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_