BYU vs. Saint Mary's box score
BYU vs. Saint Mary's postgame notes and quotes
BYU vs. Saint Mary's photo album

PROVO, Utah – BYU men's basketball fell victim to a last-second shot just beyond half court Wednesday night, losing to Saint Mary's 70-69 at the Marriott Center.

Tyler Haws led all scorers with 23 points, including a jumper in the lane that gave BYU a 69-67 lead with 2.5 seconds to play. Matthew Dellavedova spoiled Haws's would-be game-winner with a heave from just beyond half-court that ripped the net just after time expired, leaving the home crowd stunned.

“I thought this was a great college basketball game," said BYU head coach Dave Rose. "Two teams battling hard and players making plays. It was a physical game, and all the players responded to that. It all came down to a guy making a really tough play late in the game. We have to congratulate Saint Mary’s. They played well, came in here and got a big win. Hopefully our guys can learn from this, respond and come back and give another good effort on Saturday.”

Video Highlights and Interviews

BYU (14-5, 4-1) started the game on fire, making eight of its first 12 shots during a 20-4 run that spanned the first eight minutes of the game. Matt Carlino scored 10 points during the opening run and finished the game with 16 to go with five assists and four rebounds.

The Cougars played exceptionally well on defense during their opening run, limiting the Gaels (14-4, 3-1) to 15 percent shooting and forcing four turnovers. On their first defensive possession, the Cougars forced the visiting team into a shot clock violation, thanks largely to the raucous BYU crowd.

Saint Mary's called a timeout after Brandon Davies capped the 20-4 run with 11:44 to go in the first half. From there, the Gaels began to slowly creep back into the game as the Cougars' offense stalled during the second part of the first half.

Over the next six minutes, BYU scored only six points. The drought allowed Saint Mary's to cut the deficit to single digits after a 3-pointer by Stephen Holt brought the score to 26-17 with 5:34 remaining in the first. Holt finished the game with 22 points, scoring 10 in the first half.

BYU shot 54 percent overall and 42 percent from 3-point range while holding SMC to 36 percent shooting over the first 20 minutes. The Cougars led 34-27 at halftime.

In terms of rebounding, the Gaels' length proved troublesome for the Cougars. BYU gave up nine offensive rebounds and was outrebounded 21-14 overall in the first half. The Gaels finished the game with a 37 percent offensive rebounding rate, grabbing 14 offensive boards.

Saint Mary's started the second half on an 8-2 run, closing the gap to 36-35. After Haws made a pair of freebies, Holt tied the game at 38 with a 3-pointer, his third of the night. A turnover on BYU's next possession led to another triple for Holt. The basket gave the Gaels their first lead of the game at 41-38 with 15:21 to play.

BYU regained the lead on a midrange floater by Carlino, only to lose it again after Holt made his fifth and final 3-pointer of the night. Holt was 5 of 9 from downtown. A three from the top of the key by Dellavedova gave Saint Mary's a 46-42 lead with 12:19 to play, capping a 7-0 run.

Anson Winder's 3-pointer with 9:17 to go pulled the Cougars within three at 52-49. With 8:04 remaining, Dellavedova tried to beat Nate Austin off the dribble, but Austin beat him to the spot, drawing a charge and giving Dellavedova his fourth personal foul. Austin played a season-high 27 minutes, tallying six points, four rebounds, a block and an assist.

After drawing a foul away from the ball, Haws knocked down a pair of free throws to bring the Cougars within two at 53-51 with 7:53 to go. Haws was 7 of 8 from the charity stripe and had seven rebounds, an assist and a steal to go along with his 23 points.

Winder stole the ball after another Saint Mary's offensive rebound and found Brock Zylstra on the right wing for three. The basket regained the lead for the Cougars at 54-53 with 6:29 to go.

With BYU trailing 62-60 with 3:41 to play, Davies found Zylstra at the top of the key for another 3-pointer to take the lead. Zylstra only took two shots on the night, both of them 3-pointers that regained the lead for BYU. On the ensuing defensive possession BYU forced another shot clock violation, helped again by the roaring crowd.

A spinning right-handed floater by Davies gave BYU a 65-62 advantage with 2:45 left in the game. Davies fouled out of the game with 1:50 to play, sending Dellavedova to the line where he split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 65. Davies had 12 points and two assists for the game.

Haws made a turnaround jumper from the right corner with 41 seconds to play, putting the Cougars up 67-65. Dellavedova responded with a short jumper in the lane, tying the game with 34 seconds to go and giving BYU a chance at the last shot.

After Carlino dribbled the clock down to single digits, he found Haws who knocked down a mid-range jumper with two seconds remaining. Haws' shot left just enough time for Dellavedova to cross half court and make the buzzer-beater.

The Cougars host San Diego on Saturday at 7 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on BYUtv and broadcast on KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM.

Game notes: BYU vs. Saint Mary's

BYU basketball will host Saint Mary's on Wednesday in a West Coast Conference matchup. The game is scheduled for 9 p.m. MST and will be broadcast on KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM and televised on ESPNU.

Wednesday's game is being billed a white out. Tickets remain available and can be purchased by visiting BYUtickets.com.

BYU Cougars (14-4, 4-0 WCC)

• Head Coach: Dave Rose
• Alma Mater: Houston, 1983
• Division I Career Record: 199-58 (8th)
• Record at BYU: Same

Saint Mary's (13-4, 2-1 WCC)

• Head Coach: Randy Bennett
• Alma Mater: UC San Diego, 1986
• Division I Career Record: 248-121 (12th)
• Record at Saint Mary’s: Same

Player and team notes

• Dave Rose is one win away from 200 career victories. Stan Watts is the only coach in BYU history with 200-plus wins. Watts won his 200th game during his 12th season at the helm on Feb. 2, 1961 at New Mexico. It was his 329th career game (Watts’ career record was 371-254 in 23 seasons). Rose has coached 257 games and is in his eighth season.
• Tyler Haws has scored 20-plus points in five-consecutive games, his second-longest such streak this season. He opened the year with six-straight 20-point games and has 12 20-point games this season.
• Matt Carlino has scored in double figures in four-straight games (all WCC games). During that stretch he is averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.5 steals while shooting .462 from the field and .455 from three. His assist to turnover ratio during that time is 4.2 to 1.
  BYU shot 50.0 percent or better from the field in both halves of a game for the first time this season when the Cougars hit 53.1 percent in the first half and 54.2 percent in the second half at Santa Clara.
• In the second half against Pepperdine, BYU out-scored the Waves 46-16 to earn the 76-51 victory. The 30-point scoring margin was the biggest in a half this season for the Cougars and the 16 points are the fewest allowed in a half this season by BYU.
• BYU has completed three comebacks after trailing at the half this season. The Cougars trailed Utah and San Francisco by nine at the half and won 61-58 and 80-76. BYU trailed Pepperdine by five at the half and came back to win 76-51.
• BYU played its best defensive game of the season against LMU, limiting the Lions to 51 points and 30.8 percent shooting — both season bests for the Cougars. The first half was BYU’s best defensive half as the Cougars limited LMU to 20 points and 23.5 percent shooting. BYU’s 57 second half points are the most scored by the Cougars in a half all season, one more than the 56 scored against Virginia Tech in the first half.
• Tyler Haws hit 10 of 10 from the free throw line vs. Weber State, his third game this season shooting 100 percent from the line while attempting at least 10 free throws. Haws has four such games in his career, tied for the most in BYU history with Jimmer Fredette. Haws is tied with Russell Larson (1993-94) and Roberts (1994-95) for most perfect days from the line (minimum of 10 attempts) in a season with three. Danny Ainge, Lee Cummard, Larson and Roberts are tied for second on the career list with three.