Other key players for BYU included Mawot Mag, who added 11 points to the tally, while Egor Demin made notable contributions with eight points, seven assists, four steals, and two blocks, shooting 4 of 7 from the field. The second half featured a dominant start for BYU, who scored 23 points out of the first 25 available, including three 3-pointers from Knell, allowing them to leap ahead with a score of 61-38. This surge was highlighted by Demin’s interception and subsequent dunk within the first six minutes of the half. Following this, both teams experienced a drought of scoring until Colorado’s Trevor Baskin finally broke the streak with a layup after 16 missed attempts over 13 minutes and 34 seconds.
With this defeat, Colorado now holds a 9-9 overall record and finds themselves in a tough situation, sitting at 0-7 in conference play. This marks the first time the Buffaloes have experienced such a drought since the 2016-17 season, during which they lost their first seven matches in the Pac-12 Conference. Despite the defeat, Julian Hammond III led the Buffaloes with a solid 17 points, and his back-to-back 3-pointers contributed to a 14-0 run that briefly gave Colorado a 10-point advantage late in the first half, boosted further by Diop’s free throws with 5:44 remaining.
However, the momentum shifted when Saunders responded effectively, scoring seven consecutive points, which initiated a 16-4 run for BYU, allowing them to hold a slim 38-36 lead at halftime. For the game, BYU displayed exceptional shooting accuracy, hitting 58% of their attempts (31 of 53) and converting 11 of 24 from beyond the arc (47%).
Next, BYU will return to their home court, gearing up for a matchup against Cincinnati on Saturday, while Colorado is set to head south to face Arizona on the same day.
