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BYU is known for its reliance on the three-point shot, often leading the team to victory, as it did when they defeated NC State 95-86 to win the Vegas Showdown Friday night at Mandalay Bay. The Cougars made just 5 of 17 three-point shots in the first half but responded with nine in the second half, shooting 70% from the field and scoring 57 points after halftime to remain undefeated at 6-0.
BYU head coach Mark Pope expressed his optimism, saying, “I think we are starting to see what we can be. Our guys now have some real experience that is positive where we have to play on our toes not on our heels. I thought our guys responded in an epic way tonight.”
Dallin Hall’s three-point shot with 7:04 to play tied the game at 69 and sparked an 11-nothing run, leading to an 81-72 lead with 3:55 remaining. Robinson finished with a career high 23 points, and Noah Waterman was named Tournament MVP.
NC State’s Casey Marsell scored a career-high 28 for the Wolfpack, but the Cougars also received a huge boost from 6-11 junior Aly Khalifa, who had been sidelined with a sore knee for two weeks and stepped up with five points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the game.
Slow start
Waterman opened the game with a three-point shot, but NC State countered with a 16-2 run to take a lead that they kept until halftime. BYU lost Traore early in the first half, forcing Pope to reshape his front line.
Furthermore, BYU faced early struggles with three-point shooting and free throws, but Robinson, Saunders, and Stewart from the bench helped keep the team close. NC State’s guard tandem of DJ Horne and Casey Morsell remained tough opponents, helping build the Wolfpack’s 43-38 lead at halftime.
Recovery time
The Cougars will get some post-holiday rest before facing Fresno State. Pope said, “The heaviest thing on my mind is our health. As for Fouss, we’ll know more in the next couple of days. That’s a massive issue for us. We’ll get Atiki back and we’ll keep working with Aly (Khalifa).”
Mark Pope, Mr. November
With the win, Pope is now 26-6 in games played during November, including eight straight victories. Impressive wins in Las Vegas should be enough to get BYU ranked in the AP Top 25 on Monday for the first time since December 2021.
Flashback: Jimmer
Friday night’s victory was BYU’s first multiple-team event (MTE) championship since 2010, when Jimmer Fredette was the headliner. BYU broke into the AP Top 25 at No. 21 and ended the season with a 34-5 record.
Dave McCann is a contributor to the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar” available at deseretbook.com.
