LAS VEGAS – BYU men’s basketball cut a 26-point second-half deficit to just four with a minute to go Monday evening, but the rally ultimately came up short in a 76-69 loss to No. 16 Saint Mary’s. The result eliminates the Cougars from the 2023 University Credit Union West Coast Conference tournament.

“We wish we had performed better, but we gave ourselves a chance. We weren’t quite ready to start this game. It took us a long time to find our emotional fight,” said BYU head coach Mark Pope. “This team has been brilliant in their effort. Their ability to get off the mat and complete is pretty special.”

BOX SCORE

NOTES & QUOTES

Spencer Johnson had 13 points for BYU with Richie Saunders scoring 11 and Rudi Williams adding 10. The Cougars shot 49.0 percent from the field in the game including 18-for-28 and 64.3 percent in the second half. The Gaels had a 51.1 percent shooting rate and made 21 free throws.

A slow 2-for-11 shooting start by BYU allowed the Gaels to start the game with a 19-8 lead. The Gaels were much hotter from the field, making 8-of-15 from the field in the first nine minutes. Their strong shooting continued throughout the first, with a pair of threes putting SMC ahead 30-20 with four minutes to go before the break.

Saint Mary’s closed the half on a 10-0 run, with another cold shooting stretch seeing the Cougars fail to score in the final five minutes. A 3-pointer that was made while an off-the-ball foul was called allowed the Gaels to add two free throws in the final seconds and lead 37-20 at halftime.

BYU’s shooting improved to 30.4 percent overall in the half but still trailed SMC’s 50.0 percent. The Cougars were also outrebounded 20-13, with the Gaels registering eight offensive boards.

Saint Mary’s would go up by 26 just five minutes into the second half. But back-to-back threes from Richie Saunders and Dallin Hall would cut the lead to 56-36 at the 13:29 mark before Hall threw an alley-oop to Atiki Ally Atiki to cap off a 10-0 BYU run.

BYU would continue to climb back into the game, getting to within 13 with 8:23 to play. Consistent full-court pressure unsettled the Saint Mary’s offense, with the Gaels going scoreless for nearly three minutes. A driving layup and three made free throws from Gideon George then saw BYU only down eight, 64-56.

George would continue to make big plays, with a block and transition layup putting the Saint Mary’s lead at 67-60 with three-and-a-half minutes remaining. A Hall 3-pointer then put BYU down four, 71-67, with 52 seconds to go.

Four points down would be as close as BYU would get. The Gaels held the Cougars to only two points after Hall’s bucket while converting three free throws and a press-breaking layup in the final minute to escape with the 76-69 win.

LAS VEGAS – BYU’s run through the 2023 University Credit Union West Coast Conference tournament continues on Monday, March 6, when the Cougars face off against No. 16 Saint Mary’s in the semifinals. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. PST at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Monday’s contest will be broadcast on ESPN. Greg Wrubell and Mark Durrant will also be on the call on the BYU Sports Network on BYU Radio Sirius XM 143 and KSL 102.7/1160 AM.

BYU Notes (18-14, 7-9 WCC)

• BYU advanced to Monday’s semifinal following a 73-63 victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday evening.
• Rudi Williams scored a team-high 23 points in the Cougars win over the Lions, going 11-of-12 from the free throw line which were the fifth-most in a conference tournament game in program history.
• Spencer Johnson scored in double figures for the 15th time this season and 29th time in his career on Saturday. The junior is shooting 46.0 percent from 3-point range, which is the 12th highest in a single season in program history.

Head Coach – Mark Pope

• Alma Mater: Kentucky, 1996
• Division I Career Record: 164-96 (8th Season)
• Record at BYU:  87-40 (4th Season)

No. 16 Saint Mary’s Notes (25-6, 14-2 WCC)

• Saint Mary’s shared the WCC regular season title and earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament after finishing the regular season 25-6 overall and 16-2 in league play.
• Logan Johnson was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year after anchoring a Gaels defense that ranks fifth in the nation in scoring defense.
• Aidan Mahaney ranks second on the team in scoring as the freshman in scoring 14.6 points per game, shooting 44.0 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from three and 73.8 percent from the free throw line. 

Head Coach – Randy Bennett

• Alma Mater: UC San Diego, 1986
• Division I Career Record: 505-206 (22nd Season)

Series Information

• Series Record: Saint Mary’s 19-18
• Last Meeting: SMC won, 71-65 (2/8/23)
• H/A/N: 13-6/3-11/2-2

Broadcast Information

• TV: ESPN
• TV Talent: Dave Flemming, Sean Farnham
• Streamed Audio: BYU Radio Sirius XM 143, KSL 102.7/1160 AM, BYURadio.org, BYU Radio app
• Radio Talent: Greg Wrubell, Mark Durrant
• Live stats: BYUCougars.com