Another Cougar comeback helped BYU to a 70-62 win over Loyola Marymount on Saturday, Feb. 16, in Los Angeles.
“These guys battled today. I am really happy for the guys because of the feel that we are playing with right now,” BYU head coach Dave Rose said. “It seems like it is really fun for them and they have a lot of confidence.”
The Cougars have won their last five games, with three of those games being on the road.
Yoeli Childs led the team with 18 points while also recording four rebounds, five assists and one steal. TJ Haws added 13 points, eight assists, one block and one steal. Haws’ eight assists tie his career high. This is the ninth time this season and third straight game Haws has recorded seven or more assists. He also hit 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, making four from the line in the final 40 seconds to secure the win.
Zac Seljaas went 4-for-4 from the 3-point line with 12 points and grabbed six rebounds. Gavin Baxter scored 13 points going 6-for-6 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds, and had two blocks and two steals.
“I knew that it was going to be a tough game today and I just came in with confidence that when you shoot it you just need confidence,” Seljaas said. “That’s how everyone was today, we knew it was going to be a battle.”
The Cougars bounced back and overcame a 12-point deficit with 2:31 left in the first half. They also came back from the 36-30 halftime deficit to ultimately defeat Loyola Marymount 70-62.
It was the second straight game BYU overcame a double-digit deficit and a halftime deficit to win. The Cougars trailed by 14 at University of San Diego and 39-30 at the half before taking down the Toreros 88-82 in overtime Thursday night.
The Cougars are now 18-10 on the season and 10-3 in conference play.
BYU returns to the Marriott Center on Thursday, Feb. 21, as the Cougars host San Francisco.
“It’s a huge game for us and it will be fun to go back home after two big wins and to be able to play a good team and to get revenge,” Seljaas said.
