Hot-shooting Providence buries defenseless BYU 83-64 – Deseret News
The BYU Cougars took 27 more shots than Providence, had 19 more offensive rebounds, had eight more points in the paint, and committed half as many turnovers as the home team.
Naturally, Providence took a dominating 83-64 win in a Big East-Big 12 Battle game in front of 12,005 at Amica Mutual Pavilion, embarrassing the visiting Cougars to snap a three-game losing skid.
The reason for PC’s pounding of the cold-shooting, defenseless Cougars, despite all the other stats seemingly in BYU’s favor, was simple.
Providence shot 60% from the field and 55% from the 3-point line, while BYU was a frosty 33% and 28% (7 of 25) in those two categories.
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A big slam by Keegan Murray!
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A big slam by Keegan Murray!
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“Just a really inefficient night for us on the offensive end and then obviously we had a really hard time guarding those guys, couldn’t keep guys in front of us,” BYU coach Kevin Young told the BYU Sports Radio Network. “They made plenty of shots as well, which clearly hurt.”
They say that defense travels, but on this night in Rhode Island the Cougars’ defense most often resembled roadkill. The Cougars were lifeless, lacking energy, and just going through the motions way too many times.
“Uncharacteristic game for us. A lot of things that have not happened thus far in the season kinda happened tonight. It is something we will have to respond to, for sure,” Young said.
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They will have to wait more than a week, as BYU’s next game is Dec. 11 against Fresno State in the Marriott Center. Young said they will use the time to examine all aspects of the team, with a focus on the weaknesses that cost them a chance to topple Ole Miss last week in that overtime loss.
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“It was one of those nights when you had to rely on your defense and we didn’t have it on that end of the floor, either,” Young said. “Give them credit. They did a good job executing and getting to the free throw line, and making 3s as well.”
The Friars (6-3) were 12 of 22 from beyond the arc and 21 of 26 from the free-throw line, using superior quickness to put BYU’s defense on roller skates and draw fouls.
It was 6-2 BYU’s first true away game, and the reaction was far from positive — particularly for BYU’s guards. Whatever strides the Cougars made last week against similar power conference foes in San Diego were swallowed up Tuesday night by a team energized by the return of star forward Bryce Hopkins.
BYU looked rattled from the opening tip — evidenced when Kanon Catchings and Keba Keita missed shots at the rim on BYU’s first possession.
“Kanon gets a point-blank layup at the rim on a play we had worked on this morning, and that kinda set the tone. For whatever reason, our guys were really rushed around the basket. Didn’t see that one coming,” Young said. “A lot of when we have been sped up has been on the perimeter. Tonight we got sped up when we were finishing.”
Keita had a pair of dunks five or so minutes later, the second one giving BYU a 10-9 lead. But that was as good as it got for the Cougars, who are struggling to play together, cut off penetration from quicker guards, and defend the perimeter.
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Trailing by 12 at halftime, BYU chipped away and got some consistent scoring off the bench from Dawson Baker to crawl back into it. When Trevin Knell hit a 3-pointer with 13:16 remaining, BYU trailed by just seven. But after a timeout, Providence scored on three straight possessions and gradually turned it into a rout.
With representatives of every NBA team in the building to watch BYU’s highly touted freshmen, Egor Demin and Catchings, do their thing, they got just the opposite — their worst games of the season.
Demin (0 of 10), Catchings (1 of 8) and guard Dallin Hall (1 of 6) were a combined 2 of 24 from the field. Demin did have six points on 6 of 6 shooting from the free-throw line and Catchings had seven rebounds, but they were continually exposed by Providence’s physical tactics.
“I feel bad for (Demin), with everybody in the building here to see him, as we are out here on the East Coast,” Young said.