PROVO, Utah — On Saturday evening, Richie Saunders delivered an impressive performance, contributing 17 points and securing 14 rebounds, as BYU triumphed over Kansas State with a score of 80-65, effectively ending the Wildcats’ six-game winning streak.
Dallin Hall and Fousseyni Traore supported the Cougars with 16 and 11 points, respectively, while Keba Keita added nine points, along with 11 rebounds and five blocks. This victory improved BYU’s record to 17 wins and 8 losses, maintaining an 8-6 position in the Big 12 Conference.
The game started with Egor Demin executing a dunk just under five minutes in, which marked the turning point for BYU, initiating a 17-4 scoring spree that ballooned their lead to 26-12 shortly after. From that point on, the Cougars held at least an eight-point advantage for the remainder of the match.
With 7:43 remaining in the first half, CJ Jones managed a layup for Kansas State, but neither team found the basket again until Hall’s layup at 2:56 before halftime, expanding BYU’s lead to 14 points. Kansas State struggled significantly in the first half, connecting on only 27% of their shots (9 of 33), including a stretch where they failed to score on ten consecutive attempts.
Dug McDaniel was the standout for Kansas State, leading the team with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Brendan Hausen complemented McDaniel’s effort with 12 points, which featured three successful three-point shots. The Wildcats faced their first defeat since falling 70-62 to Baylor on January 22, marking the end of their winning streak.
Hall increased BYU’s lead to 22 points — the largest of the game — with a three-pointer less than four minutes into the second half. In response, Kansas State initiated an 18-4 run that brought the score to 53-45. However, Saunders quickly countered with a layup, enabling BYU to maintain a double-digit lead for the final ten minutes of play.
Looking ahead, Kansas State will face Utah on Monday, while BYU prepares to host No. 17 Kansas on Tuesday.
