No. 6-ranked Baylor overcame a 13-point deficit to defeat BYU 86-83 on Saturday, Dec. 17, in front of a sellout crowd in the Marriott Center.
BYU had a last-second chance to tie the game, but Brandon Davies’ 3-point attempt was blocked by 5-foot-10 Baylor guard Pierre Jackson.
“I had no doubt in my mind that that was going in if I would have got the shot off,” Davies said. “They made a great defensive play. . . I had no idea where he came from. I didn’t see him at all. The clock was winding down and obviously I could have made a better play but unfortunately we didn’t get the shot off and came up with the loss.”
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BYU extended their lead to 13 points when freshman guard Matt Carlino, making his college basketball debut, hit a 3-pointer to make the Cougar lead 41-28 with 2:30 remaining in the first half.
That 3-point field goal, however, was the last basket the Cougars made before halftime, as Baylor went on a 10-1 run, highlighted by an alley-oop dunk to preseason All-American Perry Jones III.
The teams entered the locker room with BYU holding only a four point lead, with the score 42-38.
BYU came out of the locker room looking to stretch the lead back to where it was in the first half. Charles Abouo scored eight points in the early minutes of the second half and Carlino hit multiple jump shots, giving the Cougars a 64-56 lead with 12 minutes left in the game.
Baylor, however, would not go away. The Bears scored 12 straight points, including six straight from Jones, and retook the lead on that run for the first time since the 12 minute mark in the first half. Baylor continued to stretch their lead, being up by as many as nine with five minutes remaining.
As the game wound down, the Cougars came back behind the play of Carlino and Abouo, and were down by just one with one minute to go. With the ball and down by one, Carlino attempted to pass the ball into the corner, but had his pass stolen. Jones then went to the other end other end of the court and put back a missed shot with 20 seconds to go to make the Baylor lead three.
With 10 seconds remaining, Carlino took a 3-point shot and had the ball go in-and-out.
Davies led the Cougars on the night with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Carlino also scored 18 points in his BYU debut.
Rose was pleased with Carlino’s first game for the Cougars and thinks his future will be bright as he gains experience.
“He needs experience. I think it’s what all young players need, to be in those situations,” Rose said. “I can remember a few years ago in a game up at Utah and we had a wide open three right down the middle from Jimmer to win the game, and we missed it, went into overtime and lossed. And what made him better? He just needed experience. You get guys in those situations and you want them to experience the moment.”
The Cougars host Buffalo next on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Marriott Center.
