BYU’s four-game winning streaked snapped by Portland

BYU vs. Portland Game Notes and Quotes

BYU vs. Portland Box Score

PORTLAND – Four players scored in double-digits but it wasn't enoughs as BYU men’s basketball lost to Portland 84-81 Saturday afternoon at the Chiles Center, snapping its four-game winning streak.

"Portland played really well, and hit some really big shots in the second half after we had established a lead," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "It was a great crowd in a great gym though. A lot of BYU fans showed up. We were a couple of plays short in getting the win. I think our guys had a pretty good idea of how Portland was going to come out and they would be determined to come out and play hard after a tough loss on Thursday. We out rebounded them, which is a stat that we usually see when we win. Between their three guards, they hit nine 3-point shots. They’re good at what we do. We had the game in a place where we could win; we just needed to execute more down the stretch."

Chase Fischer led the Cougars with 22 points and Kyle Davis had 20 points and six rebounds. Kyle Collinsworth added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and also contributed six assists. Nick Emery had 13 points and Nate Austin had seven points and 11 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass.

After trailing by as many as 13, BYU (13-6, 4-2) tied the game up at 44 apiece at the beginning of the second half with a Fischer layup and two Emery free throws. Three-pointers from Portland’s (9-11, 3-4) D’Marques Tyson and Fischer kept the teams tied at 47 with 17:30 to play. The next four minutes were highlighted by strong defense from both teams that led to a scoreless drought for two minutes. 

Collinsworth’s layup with 11:10 to play broke the drought and gave the Cougars their second lead of the night at 55-54 and first since with 17:53 mark in the first half.

Portland and BYU traded the lead for the next two minutes until Emery's layup followed by Collinsworth’s steal on an inbounds pass led to a wide-open Fischer 3-pointer, giving the Cougars a 62-58 advantage with 8:40 to play.  

Portland’s Alec Wintering and Bryce Pressley hit back-to-back 3-pointers shortly after to take the lead back at 67-65.

The Cougars kept pace with the Pilots for the next three minutes until Portland pulled away with another 3-pointer with 1:06 to play in the game. 

Austin’s layup with 48 seconds to go brought the Cougars within four points, and Emery hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left from the left corner to make it 81-79 for Portland.  

A foul sent Portland back to the line and the Pilots were able to ice the game away with free throws, winning it 84-81.

Portland outshot BYU 45.2 percent to 38.0 percent from the field and made 10 treys to the Cougars' six. BYU had an advantage on the boards with 44 boards to Portland's 36, but the Pilot bench was hot, accounting for 32 points.

Portland came out strong in the first half and built up a 13-point lead. A three-point play by Austin started a 13-2 run for the Cougars over the next four minutes, capped off by a jumper by Davis before the buzzer to bring BYU within two at the half, trailing 42-40.  

The Cougars stay on the road and will head to Loyola Marymount Thursday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. PST. The game will be broadcast on TWC SN and CSN+ and the live radio broadcast can be heard on the Cougars IMG Sports Network, KSL Sports Network 102.7 FM/1160 AM and BYU Radio- Sirius XM 143.