BYU center Gary Trost was unable to explain his career-high scoring performance Saturday against Utah.
For that matter, he wasn't even aware he'd done it.Surrounded by media after BYU's 87-73 win, Trost made all the usual remarks about team effort, the Cougars' emphasis on getting the ball to the big men inside, defense, etc.
Then someone informed him he'd scored 27 points and scarcely missed a shot (10 of 13 from the field, 7 of 8 from the line). His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he appeared at a loss for words. He almost looked embarrassed. Finally he said, "I was just trying to work hard."
Then he gave it some more thought and added, "Usually when I start out well it gets me going. I started feeling the rhythm."It's easy to see why Trost might not have realized what a big night he was having, including a game-high eight rebounds. He didn't get his points in bunches, he didn't get them on a lot of acrobatic shots, and he didn't get them in front of a friendly crowd. His longest shot was a jumper from about the free-throw line; everything else was in standard Roger Reid-approved big-man range.
One thing that helped open it up for Trost inside was the perimeter shooting of guard Nate Call. Call made all four of his three-point attempts in totaling 17 points. Naturally, Trost gave Call credit for that help.
Coming into the game, Trost said he had received no premonitions that he would have such a productive offensive game.
"I didn't anticipate it. I just wanted to play solid."
A bigger pre-game concern, he said, was holding down Utah's Paul Afeaki.
"He's big and he's stronger than I am," Trost said of the Ute center. "It's just a challenge playing against him."
On this night, however, Afeaki was never a factor. Trost and BYU's other big men - Jared Miller, Russell Larson and John Fish - held the tall Tongan, described by Utah coach Rick Majerus in pregame ceremonies as the best big man in the WAC, to four points. Afeaki made just one of four shots from the field and had a dismal night at the foul line, hitting 7 of 9.
For Trost and the rest of the Cougars, this game was a breakthrough. Besides being the first time a Reid-coached team has beaten the Utes in the Huntsman Center, it is the first big game the Cougs have won on the road.
"We came in here wanting to be confident," Trost said. "We didn't want to back down from anybody."
Then he paused again, looked out at the now-empty arena, and said, "I'm just stunned, basically. I haven't won here."
That's "hadn't" won here. You made it a past tense.