BYU-Utah State Postgame Notes & Quotes

PROVO, Utah - The following notes are from BYU's 82-71 win over Utah State University on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, at the Marriott Center. 

ALL-TIME SERIES RESULTS: BYU leads 144-92

TEAM NOTES

First Half

BYU started the game strong going 5-of-5 from the field, giving the team an early lead in the first half. The Cougars went on an 11-0 run over the Aggies, maintaining their lead for the remainder of the first half. BYU shot 57 percent from the field going 16-for-28 while Utah State shot 48 percent from the field. Junior Trevin Knell led the Cougars with 13 points, while Te’Jon Lucas followed close behind with 11 points. Gideon George added four rebounds as the Cougars went into the locker room with a 45-33 lead over the Aggies.

Second Half

The Cougars maintained a lead throughout the entirety of the second half, finishing the game with a lead of 11 at 82-71. Although BYU kept their lead, the Aggies closed the gap with the help of 19 points off BYU turnovers. BYU shot 10-of-24 from the field for 41.7% and Utah State shot 15-of-27 for 55.6% for the second half. Barcello and Traore led the Cougars offensively with 10 points each in the second half. Lucas had three rebounds and Traore had four that helped the Cougar defense hold the Aggies to 71 points to end the game.     

Shooting and 3-Pointers

The Cougars shot 50 percent from the field against the Aggies, going 26-of-52. The Cougars took 24 shots from the 3-point range, hitting 11 for 45.8 percent to Utah State’s 38.5 percent from the three-point range. BYU had nine players score tonight with four in double digits.

Free Throws

BYU shot 19-of-22 for 86.4 percent from the free throw line against the Aggies. With both Barcello shooting 7-of-7 and Traore hitting 8-of-8, every BYU player shot over 50 percent from the line. 

Defense

The Cougar defense held a strong line forcing 17 turnovers by Utah State that resulted in 12 points, 31 rebounds, five steals and one block over the course of the game. 

PLAYER NOTES

Alex Barcello

Barcello led the Cougars with 17 points against the Utah State Aggies. He shot 7-for-7 from the free throw line and added four assists and one rebound to his stat line. 

Trevin Knell

Knell scored a season-high points against the Aggies with 13. He also contributed four defensive rebounds and one assist. Knell also made three 3-pointers. 

Notable career highs/career firsts

Season-high points: Trevin Knell (13)

Season-high assists: Caleb Lohner (3)

COACH AND PLAYER QUOTES

Mark Pope

On shooting tonight

“This was a super fortunate night for us to make shots and I think it carried the game for us because we did not guard great, so we needed that.” 

“As a coach, I am really blessed to have a locker room full of guys who are capable and willing to play different ways. They give us as staff this incredible gift of being willing to approach the game a little bit differently and refocus and grow.”

“We are a good shooting team and our guys are in a flow right now. With more space on the floor, we are doing better earning each other good shots. I also think being at home works in harmony with those other two things to make that happen.”

“I am super proud of us tonight. We won the rebounding battle by five. I love teams that can win more than one way and this team has proven they can.”

On Caleb Lohner

“I am so proud of Caleb. We have put so much on his shoulders. You take him out of the mix and we have no chance of winning these last few games. He is carrying so much of the load on the glass, taking up space and running the floor. The impact he is having on this team right now is incredible and we need him right now.”0

On the Impact of the ROC

“One of the great things about college athletics is that we are in this together. This ROC helps us win games, there is no two ways about it. They are an important part of us winning games.”

Alex Barcello

On game tonight

“We had a really good game today. Definitely two really great wins after a tough loss last week. These guys have done a really great job stepping into roles they are not familiar with. I think we are doing a really great job battling through our frustrations.”

On creating shots

“Coach told us to step up our pace and we practice that every day. These guys have really bought into that and we just really listen to the coach and try to do the best we can when we are out there. Thankfully it worked for us tonight and we were able to hit shots.”

On pace of the game

“I think it is extremely hard for teams to guard us because we have guys that can create and play-make off the bounce. Shots are going to fall. Coach always says you miss five, you make five and that’s what we came out here and did tonight. I am very confident that we have so many playmakers.” 

On teammate Gideon George

“He has such an impact on the defensive end of the ball. He slowed the other team up and he crashed the board so wonderfully tonight.”

On Creighton this coming Saturday

“Our next game is the toughest game, that is how we approach it and we know it is going to be a battle. Road games are tough but we will continue to grow together as a unit and build this locker room and continue to get better at our pace and guard better and let that translate to offense.”