Traore, Johnson, Hall earn All-WCC honors

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – BYU’s Fousseyni Traore, Spencer Johnson and Dallin Hall earned All-West Coast Conference accolades on Wednesday, with Traore being named to the second team. Johnson was one of six players to pick up honorable mention honors with Hall being named to the All-WCC freshman team.

Traore earned second team all-league accolades after leading the Cougars in scoring and rebounding during the regular season. Entering postseason play, the sophomore is averaging 13.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting 60.4 percent from the field, the second-highest percentage in a single season in program history.

Eight of his 17 career double-doubles have come this season including a 17-point, 13 rebound performance in the Cougars regular season finale victory over San Francisco. He ranks in the Top 100 in the nation in rebounds per game and offensive rebounds per game.

In WCC play, the 6-foot-6 forward scored in double figures in 13 of the 16 games including nine straight double-digit performances to finish the season en route to averaging 13.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He ranked second in league play in defensive rebounds per game and field goal percentage while ranking in the Top 5 in total and offensive rebounds per game.

Johnson will finish BYU’s time in the WCC as only the second player in program history to earn all-conference honorable mention accolades alongside former guard TJ Haws. In 22 games this season, the American Fork native averaged a career-high 11.1 points per game while shooting a career-best 50.5 percent from the field, 46.8 percent from three and 73.0 percent from the free throw line.

Johnson did it on both ends of the floor for the Cougars in league play as the junior ranked first in 3-point percentage and steals per game. He shot 52.7 percent from behind the arc in league play, the third-highest mark in a conference season in program history (min. 15 3FG made). He also had 33 steals in 16 WCC games, the eighth-most in program history.

Hall becomes the ninth Cougar to be named to the WCC All-Freshman team after leading the team in assists after returning from his two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints last summer.

The Plain City native is one of seven freshmen in program history to eclipse the century mark in assists as he finished the regular season with 100 assists. He also averaged 7.2 points per game, shooting 41.1 percent from the field, 34.5 percent from three and 63.2 percent from the free throw line in his first collegiate season.

The Cougars will play in the second round of the 2023 University Credit Union WCC Basketball Tournament on Friday, March 3, at 6 p.m. PST. BYU – the No. 5 seed – will play the winner of Thursday’s first round matchup between Portland and San Diego.