Analysis: BYU’s closer-than-it-needed-to-be win over OSU a step in the right direction for Cougars
BYU nearly blows a 27-point lead, but regains its composure to win by 16
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BYU Cougars head coach Kevin Young talks with his players before an NCAA men’s basketball game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Jay has covered sports in Utah for more than 30 years and has been writing for the Deseret News since 2019.
There are a couple of ways to look at previously slumping BYU’s 85-69 win over Oklahoma State — arguably the worst team in the Big 12 — on Tuesday night in front of 16,457 mostly satisfied fans at the Marriott Center.
In this league, a 16-point win over anybody — at home, on the road, or on Mars — is nothing to take for granted, even if you have lost three straight games and are wildly inconsistent at this point in the season.
So there’s that.
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On the other hand, the way in which BYU (11-5, 2-3) won the game left a lot to be desired. That’s because the Cougars almost blew a 27-point first-half lead and had to keep their starters in the game much longer than coach Kevin Young wanted, what with the rivalry game with Utah coming up on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
Oklahoma State (9-7, 1-4), which was drubbed 83-62 at Utah last weekend, went on a 22-2 run in the second half to cut the huge deficit to 3, 51-48, with a little more than 13 minutes remaining.
It was looking like a meltdown for the ages for Young’s team, which had failed to execute down the stretch in losses to Texas Tech and TCU the last two times it played.
Dallin Hall had other ideas.
Having been relegated to coming off the bench a few games ago, the previous starter sandwiched a pair of huge 3-pointers around a Fousseyni Traore putback basket, and the Cougars were out of the woods.
Hall finished with a season-high tying 14 points on 4 of 4 shooting, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range.
Freshman Egor Demin also got going in the second half, finally making a 3-pointer (1 of 4) when it mattered and finishing with 10 points, eight assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes.
“I thought Dallin and Egor’s collective leadership as lead ball-handlers is the reason we won the game. I thought they were composed,” Young said.
“Specific to Dallin, I think he is very adaptable. I am putting him in different lineup combinations. Sometimes he is out there with Egor, sometimes he is not. He just wants us to win. He has accepted whatever role I have thrown at him, so I was happy to see him make some huge shots. I love the aggressive Dallin, so whatever we can do to pull that out of him I think is what my mind goes to mostly with him.”
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BYU Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) takes a shot against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars players huddle before an NCAA men’s basketball game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars center Fousseyni Traore (45) protests Oklahoma’s possession as he sits back-to-back with Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Robert Jennings II (25) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) tries to rebound the ball against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars head coach Kevin Young talks with his players before an NCAA men’s basketball game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) celebrates a teammate’s 3-pointer against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) drives the ball toward the basket while guarded by Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Abou Ousmane (33) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) drives the ball toward the basket while guarded by Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Khalil Brantley (5) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) lays the ball up while guarded by Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Abou Ousmane (33) and forward Robert Jennings II (25) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) drives the ball toward the basket after evading Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jamyron Keller (14) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars forward Kanon Catchings (6) listens in as he and his teammates huddle during an NCAA men’s basketball game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) prepares to enter the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Steve Lutz calls out to his players during an NCAA men’s basketball game against the BYU Cougars held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars forward Kanon Catchings (6) lines up a shot against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) pulls up for a shot while guarded by Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Bryce Thompson (1) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars forward Kanon Catchings (6) holds his follow-through on his shot while guarded by Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Robert Jennings II (25) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) passes the ball inbounds as he goes out of bounds against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) and guard Dallin Hall (30) celebrate after Knell earned a trip to the line to take free throws against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) lays the ball up while guarded by Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Bryce Thompson (1) and forward Marchelus Avery (0) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) blocks a shot from Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Arturo Dean (2) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars center Keba Keita (13) lays the ball up past Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Bryce Thompson (1) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) controls the ball while guarded by Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jamyron Keller (14) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars head coach Kevin Young watches a shot go up against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars head coach Kevin Young talks with guard Egor Demin (3) during an NCAA men’s basketball game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars center Fousseyni Traore (45) breaks up a shot from Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Robert Jennings II (25) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) huddles with his teammates during an NCAA men’s basketball game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) talks with forward Kanon Catchings (6) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) celebrates a play from guard Egor Demin (3) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) reacts after receiving a flagrant foul against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) guards Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Arturo Dean (2) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Dawson Baker (25) and the rest of the bench celebrate a 3-pointer against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars guard Egor Demin (3) lays the ball up past Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Marchelus Avery (0) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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BYU Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) shoots the ball while guarded by Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jamyron Keller (14) during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
With the crowd breathing a huge sigh of relief, BYU never really pulled away again but kept the Cowboys at bay the final 10 minutes after the shaky defense the first half of the second half.
Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz, who kept his team in Utah since playing the Utes three nights ago, said he was proud of the way his club battled back after falling behind 42-15 with 3:21 left in the first half.
“We shared the basketball. I brought in some guys who really haven’t played much,” Lutz said. “… This league is a physical, grimy, defensive league, unless you have superior talent. I thought our defense was much better in the second half, which gave us some momentum.”
Having talked extensively about the need to play with more grit and toughness, Young called the Cowboys’ comeback a blessing in disguise, of sorts, because it tested the mettle of his group and forced it to step up and regain its composure.
“More than anything, I was proud of our guys’ response, not only in that moment (when OSU rallied), but just more importantly where we are at in our season, having some tough losses that really stung,” he said. “I was happy for our guys’ collective response.”
Really, this bounce-back night was delivered by the veterans, as Young benched freshman Kanon Catchings and started Rutgers transfer Mawot Mag in his place. Catchings only played seven minutes, but that was because he got into foul trouble, and not because he wasn’t playing well, Young said.
About the only other troubling stat was the 14 turnovers, which OSU turned into 16 points and used to rule its comeback.
Super senior Trevin Knell led all scorers with 18 points, while Richie Saunders added 12 after last Saturday’s 26-point performance in the discouraging loss at so-so TCU.
“We just needed a win, period. … I am actually just glad — it is easy to say it when you win, but the fact that it wasn’t a blowout and we had to have some grit to get it done, that was good,” Young said.
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The coach repeated a scenario he laid out Monday, that he has to remind this group that it could have won games against Ole Miss, Texas Tech and TCU, “and all of a sudden you are a top-20 team.”
But these guys aren’t close to that now, which makes the next three games, all winnable, an opportunity to show what they have and live up to expectations.
“We are not (4-1 in league play),” Young said. “I just wanted our guys to have perspective. The sky is not falling. We are a really good basketball team.
“It hasn’t gone our way, but you got two choices, you either shrivel up and die, or you freaking figure it out. I thought the response I saw from our guys was a step in the right direction in figuring it out.”
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