BYU basketball bounces back in win over N.C. State

After losing to Ole Miss on Thanksgiving, BYU basketball bounced back and dominated the North Carolina State Wolfpack 72-61 on Black Friday.

BYU had its hands full with NC State. The Wolfpack led the NCAA in fast-break points and were 5-1 going into the game. After losing to Ole Miss, BYU came out with a vengeance to start the game. Dallin Hall got things going early, hitting back-to-back 3s, pushing BYU ahead 16-6 early in the game.

The Cougars got contributions up and down the roster. Seven Cougars scored at least seven points, but only Fousseyni Traore (10 points) and Richie Saunders (13 points) scored double figures.

The bench once again lifted the Cougars and after a rough game the night before, Dawson Baker scored two layups, assisted on multiple baskets and hit a 3 to extend BYU's lead to 33-18. His five-minute stretch broke the game open for BYU and they never looked back.

It was the most connected this BYU team has looked this season on both ends of the floor. The Cougars held the Wolfpack to their lowest point total of the season in the first half; they led 38-27 at the break.

BYU's zone defense and athleticism were effective against N.C. State's offense, and the Cougars did an excellent job defending in transition to hold NC State to five fastbreak points. Prior to Friday's game, N.C. State averaged 25 fastbreak points per game.

In the second half, BYU extended its lead to 24, up 65-41 with eight minutes left, and the rest of the game was just formalities. BYU's offense played well up to that point. The Cougars connected on 10 of their 26 3-point attempts and assisted on 17 of their 25 made field goals.

Egor Demin was stellar again, scoring 8 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and tossing out four assists. Even when he is not scoring at a high level, he continues to show why you do not have to scroll very far to see his name on NBA mock drafts. He and Hall's high-level playmaking created opportunities so that everyone on the court could feast.

The Cougars leave San Diego victorious and should be feeling confident with how they took care of the Wolfpack.

However, they still have plenty of flaws that they can clean up in the next month before conference play. Again, turnovers were an issue for BYU. The Cougars turned the ball over nine times in the first half but cleaned it up in the second half and ended the game with 14.

The way BYU played against N.C. State is the blueprint for how this plays for the rest of the season. BYU showed it has so many weapons to beat opposing defenses.

Any player in BYU's rotation can score in their own unique ways. No matter what defenses throw at the Cougars, someone on this roster can make them pay. BYU's ball movement and unselfishness remain the key to success in keeping its high-powered offense on track. When the ball finds the right person, BYU is difficult to stop.

On the other end of the floor, the defense has come together much more slowly than the offense, but against N.C. State, BYU made significant strides. There were far fewer mental lapses covering ball screens and not giving up as many wide-open shots. BYU has the potential to be a good defensive team; it is just how much buy-in there will be on that end of the floor all season.

Next up for BYU: The Cougars travel to Rhode Island to face the Providence Friars for one last test before they get into the meat of the Big 12.