BYU erases 23-point deficit, beats Dayton in overtime 79-75

Associated PressNov 26, 2022, 12:35 AM EST

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

NASSAU, Bahamas – Gideon George scored 21 points and combined with Jaxson Robinson and Rudi Williams for BYU’s 15 overtime points as the Cougars came back from a 23-point deficit to beat Dayton 79-75 in overtime Friday.

BYU’s victory came in the seventh-place game in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.

George’s 3-pointer with 2:19 left in regulation gave BYU (4-3) its first lead after Dayton scored the first 10 points of the game and led 32-9 with six minutes left in the first half.

Mike Sharavjamts’ basket gave the lead back to Dayton but George’s free throw with a minute left sent the game into overtime.

Dayton got the first points in overtime but Robinson’s 3-pointer gave BYU the lead for good halfway through the extra period.

Robinson had 14 points, Dallin Hall 12 and Williams 11 to join George in double figures for BYU.

DaRon Holmes II scored 21 points and Sharavjamts 15 for Dayton (3-4). The Flyers lost starting guards Kobe Elvis and Malachi Smith to lower-body injuries in the second half, Smith with with just seconds left in regulation.

South Carolina, Staley cancel BYU games over racial incident

Associated PressSep 2, 2022, 11:54 PM EDT

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COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina and women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley have canceled a home-and-home series with BYU over a recent racial incident where a Cougars fan yelled slurs at a Duke volleyball player.

The Gamecocks were scheduled to start the season at home against BYU on Nov. 7, then play at the Utah campus during the 2023-24 season.

But Staley cited BYU’s home volleyball match last month as reason for calling off the series.

“As a head coach, my job is to do what’s best for my players and staff,” Staley said in a statement released by South Carolina on Friday. “The incident at BYU has led me to reevaluate our home-and-home, and I don’t feel that this is the right time for us to engage in this series.”

Duke sophomore Rachel Richardson, a Black member of the school’s volleyball team, said she heard racial slurs from the stands during the match.

BYU apologized for the incident and Richardson said the school’s volleyball players reached out to her in support.

South Carolina said it was searching for another home opponent to start the season.

Gamecocks athletic director Ray Tanner spoke with Staley about the series and supported the decision to call off the games.

BYU forward Lohner transferring to Baylor in his home state

Associated PressMay 2, 2022, 8:16 PM EDT

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

WACO, Texas — BYU forward Caleb Lohner is transferring to Baylor, a return to his home state after two seasons with the Cougars.

Baylor coach Scott Drew said Monday that the 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward had signed a financial-aid contract with the Big 12 Conference school. Lohner put his name in the transfer portal last month.

Lohner averaged 7.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in his 62 games (44 starts) with the Cougars. He shot 43.9% (167 of 380) from the field.

“We’ve known Caleb and his family since he was a sophomore in high school,” Drew said. “We have always known he would be a great fit in our program because of the type of teammate and player he is. He’s an outstanding student-athlete that our fans are really going to enjoy cheering for.”

Lohner played at Flower Mound High School in the Dallas area as a freshman and sophomore before going to Wasatch Academy in Utah from 2018-20.

BYU is moving to the Big 12 after next season.

Gonzaga women upend No. 15 BYU to win WCC title 71-59

Associated PressMar 8, 2022, 10:44 PM EST

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

LAS VEGAS — Melody Kempton scored 15 points and Gonzaga defeated No. 15 BYU 71-59 on Tuesday in the championship game of the West Coast Conference tournament to earn its 13th NCAA Tournament berth.

It was a big turnaround for second-seeded Gonzaga, which dropped two games to the top-seeded Cougars in the regular season, getting outscored 105-34 in the sixth quarters after leading 35-20 at halftime of the first game.

Gonzaga defeated the Cougars in the championship game last year, 43-42, on a basket as time expired.

The Truong twins, Kaylynne and starter Kayleigh, scored 14 and 12 points respectively for the Bulldogs (26-6) and Yvonne Ejim had 11.

Kaylynne Truong hit two triples and all four of her free throws to score 10 points in the fourth quarter when Gonzaga made 6 of 8 shots, including three 3-pointers, and 13 of 16 free throws.

WCC player of the year Shaylee Gonzales scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for BYU (26-3), which had its eight-game winning streak snapped, a span that included both wins over Gonzaga. Paisley Harding added 14 points and Lauren Gustin 10.

An 8-0 run in the first quarter put Gonzaga up for good but BYU, going for its fourth tournament title, stayed close, trailing 43-38 going into the fourth quarter after two Gonzales layups.

Twice in the opening moments of the fourth quarter BYU got within three points but Kempton had consecutive baskets and Kaylynne Truong had her second 3 of quarter, putting Gonzaga on top 53-43 with 6 1/2 minutes to go.

Tegan Graham had a 3-pointer for BYU, but Ejim hit a jumper and Kayleigh Truong had a 3-pointer and the lead didn’t dip below nine.

Hawkins scores 25, Creighton beats No. 24 BYU 83-71

Associated PressDec 11, 2021, 10:56 PM EST

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Far from the Creighton campus, the 3,500-seat Sanford Pentagon was nearly packed with Bluejays fans and Ryan Hawkins gave them quite a show against No. 24 BYU on Saturday.

Even though eight inches of snow fell Friday in Sioux Falls and hampered travel, the Creighton crowd made it seem like a home game 180 miles to the north. The stands were full as Hawkins scored 19 of his season-high 25 points in the first half in an 83-71 win.

Creighton (9-2) built its lead to as many as 20 before the break, helped by Hawkins’ four 3-pointers.

“I took a couple I probably shouldn’t have, but I was having fun,” Hawkins said. “I just kind of let it come.”

Hawkins finished 10 for 18 from the field, including 4 for 8 on 3s, and had eight rebounds.

“44 (Hawkins) was just a handful for us tonight in the first half. We couldn’t find any answers,” BYU coach Mark Pope said. “He’s a big-time shooter, and he’s got great range and he gets it up quick. Our guys were surprised early on with how mobile he was and how quick he was to get shots off. That’s a learning process. It was a good education for us tonight.”

Alex Barcello scored 28 points for BYU (8-2), shooting 5 of 7 on 3-pointers. Gideon George played 20 minutes off the bench and led the Cougars with 11 rebounds.

Down by 21 points in the second half, the Cougars closed within 10 with just under nine minutes remaining when Seneca Knight hit one of his three 3-pointers.

The Bluejays pulled away after that.

“Our guys are getting better. That’s the reality of it,” Creighton head coach Greg McDermott said. “They’re going to grow with each experience. Every game is a lesson and there’s a lot we can learn from this game.”

BIG PICTURE

BYU: The loss was the Cougars’ first by double digits in the regular season since an 82-71 setback to No. 1 Gonzaga last season. The loss likely will knock the Cougars out of the Top 25.

Creighton: The Bluejays beat a ranked team for the first time time since topping No. 5 Villanova 86-70 last season. The Bluejays had lost three straight to ranked opponents.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

After opening the season ranked No. 18 and climbing as high as No. 12 this season, BYU could fall out.

Creighton could creep into the Top 25 poll with the win. The Bluejays were ranked No. 19 in the final poll last season.

HE SAID IT

With just over five minutes to play and Creighton leading 68-54, Hawkins grabbed a long rebound and had a clear path to the basket. With a defender closing, he delivered an emphatic dunk to the roar of the crowd.

“I hope the fans got into that,” he said. “Because that’s about all they’ll get this year. I hope they remember it well, because it probably won’t happen again.”

UP NEXT

BYU is at Weber State next Saturday before heading to Honolulu for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic Dec. 22-25.

Creighton returns home for games next week against Arizona State on Tuesday and then Villanova in the Big East opener on Friday.

Oklahoma women beat No. 16 BYU; spoil Graham’s 10 3-pointers

Associated PressDec 10, 2021, 10:42 PM EST

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NORMAN, Okla. – Madi Williams scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Taylor Robertson added 23 points and Oklahoma beat No. 16 BYU 99-91 in overtime on Friday night, spoiling Tegan Graham’s 10 3-pointer performance.

Oklahoma’s first-year coach Jennie Baranczyk reached 200 wins in just her 10th season as a head coach, following a nine-year stint at Drake.

Oklahoma led 76-69 with 4:32 left in regulation before Oregon State made four 3-pointers in the final four minutes – with three by Graham, including a go-ahead make at 1:09. Skylar Vann tied it at 83 with a layup.

Paisley Harding put BYU ahead 89-88 in overtime with 3 minutes remaining, but it was the final made field goal for the Cougars as Oklahoma closed on an 11-0 run.

Kennady Tucker and Nevaeh Tot each scored 11 points for Oklahoma (9-1), which has only lost to then-No. 9 Oregon 98-93.

Graham set a program record by making 10 of 17 3-pointers for BYU (8-1). Harding, coming off a 33-point performance in an 85-80 victory over Utah, was held to seven points on 3-of-17 shooting. Shaylee Gonzales added 24 points, also making 10 field goals, and Lauren Gustin had 13 points, 21 rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Graham made 6 of 9 3-pointers in the first half and her 18 points helped BYU to a 41-37 lead at the break. Gustin grabbed 11 rebounds in the first half for BYU and Williams led Oklahoma in scoring and rebounding with 10 points and nine boards.