Houston Cougars forward Joseph Tugler (11) hangs from the basket after his dunk against the BYU Cougars during the second half of the Big 12 Quarterfinals on Thursday Mar. 12, in Kansas City, Missouri. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
Houston Basketball opened up its Big XII tournament run in Kansas City with a rematch over Brigham Young University, winning 73-66 in a shootout that showcased the resilience between the two teams.
BYU were the underdog in the game, as they had bested two opponents throughout the first few days in the tournament, beating both No. 15 Kansas State and No. 7 West Virginia.
Both teams showed off their amazing talent, trading blows against one another with multiple three-point shots and iconic slam dunks. However, it was Houston who turned the tide to their side as all of BYU’s momentum slowed down near the end of the game, leaving the Coogs to overtake and swarm.
Game recap
At the beginning of the game, Houston gave the first blow to the Cougars as a turnover from BYU freshman forward AJ Dybantsa allowed an easy dunk leading to an early lead.
Following up on this turnover, BYU did not score for the next two minutes as multiple defensive efforts from Houston led to missed scoring opportunities for BYU.
Despite this, BYU focused its efforts on the offensive side of the ball, with Dybantsa having 16 points in the first half of the game. This led to Coogs struggling to keep Dybantsa at bay, as he continued to demolish Houston’s defensive efforts.
These offensive efforts from BYU also allowed them to gain the lead heading into halftime 41-37, with Houston showcasing frustration heading into the locker rooms. Houston however, returned to the court hungry to showcase that they weren’t finished yet.
After halftime Houston began to showcase their determination, with senior guard Milos Uzan leading the charge after a huge three-point shot cut down the deficit to one point. After a couple more shots and three-pointers from Houston, they regained the lead and put BYU in a tough corner.
The game turned into a shootout late in the second half, as both teams traded the lead. Houston freshman guard Kingston Flemings showcased his offensive talents, while Dybansa hurried to play catch-up before the lead got too big.
However, Houston overtook the game and denied any offensive efforts BYU had near the end of the game, ending BYU’s run in the tournament and winning 73-66.
Flemings and senior guard Emanuel Sharp led the offense in points, having a combined 30 points throughout the game. BYU also showcased its offensive talents, as Dybantsa went on to have 26 points.
What happens next?
Houston now prepares for the semifinals of the tournament, ultimately attempting to have back-to-back wins.
“We were out of character in a lot of ways during the first half but these are the moments that the players want to play in,” said Coach Kelvin Sampson.
BYU prepares for the upcoming NCAA March Madness tournament after a historic run in the Big XII tournament.
“I’m really proud of where our team’s at right now,” said BYU Head Coach Kevin Young. “I thought the win at Texas Tech before this tournament was giant, and we were able to find a little bit of a recipe.”
Overall, both teams are very scary heading into March Madness, as both showcased talent at its highest level. Houston will face off against the winner of Kansas vs TCU, and will be sure to dominate however they can.
sports@thedailycougar.com
