Ten minutes past midnight early Wednesday morning, not long after BYU's loss to No. 20 Arizona, Cougar guard Egor Demin emerged from the tunnel, shoes still laced and white Nike tank top still damp from sweat, and went straight to the free throw line.
BYU guard Egor Demin was getting in some extra work from free throw line after the 85-74 loss to Arizona. pic.twitter.com/eGndjJK6rH
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) February 5, 2025
By the time Demin had made his way back onto the court, all that was left was the cleanup crew scattered around the arena picking up empty CougarTail boxes and soda cups.
A small number of media members remained in the Marriott Center, polishing up their articles, uploading their photos, and recording podcasts.
On the BYU Sports Nation Wrap Up show which concluded around 12:15 a.m., host Jarom Jordan told Spencer Linton, "Normally when we talk to you [after the game], it's buzzing in the back. [Tonight], everybody is gone."
It was right in the middle of this conversation between Jordan and Linton that Demin walked behind Linton over to the other end of the floor to get the extra shots up.
After the 48-minute postgame show on BYUtv alongside Jordan, Kristen Kozlowksi, and Blaine Fowler, former BYU player Jonathan Tavernari later joined Demin on the court to rebound for him and help him clear his mind.
We talked about school, life and his family.
— Jonathan Tavernari (@For3JT) February 5, 2025
I told some Brazilian jokes and tried to pronounce Russian words, which made him smile and laugh.
Sometimes you just need someone who understands what’s like to move away from home at 15/16 to pursue basketball dreams. https://t.co/m8W8p6qaPQ
Similar to Demin, Tavernari also came from overseas to play at BYU. Both played for renowned ball clubs in their respective countries in their pre-teen and teenage years prior to coming to the United States.
Ultimately Tavernari, nicknamed JT, finished his time at BYU as one of the most winningest players and best shooters in school history.
"He's frustrated with the way he shot free throws tonight. He pointed out that we [the team] could have really put some more pressure on Arizona if some of these shots go down and help build a lead, but we left free points on the floor," said Linton.
For example, with 25 seconds left in the first half, Demin drove to the hoop and was fouled on a made layup off the glass. Unfortunately, Demin missed the free throw to complete the and-one play and give the Cougars a three-point lead.
See the video on the right in the tweet below.
Doin' it all.
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) February 5, 2025
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/YV1xmn1dSR
Free throw shooting has been a season-long vice for the Cougars. On 390 attempts this season, the Cougars have only knocked down 267 of those. That's equivalent to 68% and BYU is ranked 286th in the country in that category.
Coach Kevin Young mentioned this in his postgame press conference.
"(We made) 8 for 14 in a tight game. We gotta step up and knock free throws down. ... Guys gotta step up and make gimmes," he said.
Demin finished with a team-high 16 points, but he shot 7 of 20 from the field, 2 of 9 from 3-point range, and 0 of 3 from the charity stripe. Demin's 16 points are the most he's scored in Big 12 play this season.
Speaking of Demin, Young said, "If you're gonna shoot nine 3s, you can't go 0-for-3 from the free throw line."
In a hard-fought late-night showdown on Tuesday evening, the Cougars kept it close for the majority of the game. That is, until the final eight minutes of the contest.
During this stretch, BYU was outscored 18-8 and only made three out of thirteen of their shot attempts. In contrast, Arizona went 4 of 9 during this stretch.
It was a fast-paced, high-scoring affair between these two teams that ended in the Wildcats taking home the win, 85-74.
Up next for Demin and the Cougars is a two-game road trip to Cincinnati and West Virginia. The Cougars are 2-4 on the road, but they'll look to get to .500 in this category over the next two games.