No. 7 BYU took on No. 3 UConn at the TD Garden in Boston Saturday night, just barely losing in a game that went down to the wire, 86-84.
This was the first top-10 matchup for BYU since the Cougars met San Diego State in the Mountain West Championship in 2011, and the first big test for both BYU and UConn this season.
Despite the slim margin of the final score, the majority of the night was anything but; BYU was down by 20 at one point in the second half and consistently trailed by double-digits throughout.
Shades of the previous Delaware game were present in the first half, those being the missed three-pointers to start the game. BYU was 0-10 from range when Dawson Baker finally buried a three.
The game was incredibly physical from the opening tip, highlighted by an early offensive foul from Richie Saunders and several tie-ups, and it remained that way for the entirety of the game for both teams. This physicality would initially cost BYU, as it was the early foul and injury trouble that was most concerning for BYU’s game plan.
Just five minutes into the game, the veteran Saunders had two fouls and a turnover and needed to be immediately subbed out.
Two minutes after Saunders’ exit, Keba Keita went down with a head injury and didn’t return for the remainder of the game.
Between Kennard Davis already not suiting up and Keita out within seven minutes of game time, BYU went down two of its most important defensive anchors.
The first half ended with a Tyler Mrus three, his first points of the game and season.
At the half, UConn retained an 11-point lead, 43-32, and there were plenty of glaring concerns as BYU headed back into the locker room.
First, BYU was 2-12 from 3, another slow shooting start reflective of their latest first-half performance against Delaware, where they ended that first half similarly shooting 1-12 from range.
Next, three different UConn players already had 11 points each, and it showed. UConn had 13 assists to BYU’s measly three. UConn’s careful control and distribution of the basketball were the expectation with Dan Hurley’s experienced squad.
However, UConn’s greatest first impression was their defense, which notably held BYU’s “big three” to just 18 first-half points. Nearly every AJ Dybantsa or Rob Wright drive to the rim was met with three Huskies already airborne, which left Dybantsa only converting a single field goal on six attempts in the first half and Wright with five turnovers.
Much like the Delaware game once again, a second-half resurgence kept the Cougars alive.
BYU’s added defensive pressure in the second half was ultimately the spark plug it needed to start chipping away at a commanding twenty-point lead.
The Cougars implemented a full-court press early into the second half, which caused a few easy turnovers.
On offense, BYU’s newfound aggression put it into the double bonus far before UConn. Once Dybantsa had made some shots at the charity stripe, he started to find his groove and made important and difficult shots down the stretch, finishing with a game-high 25 points.
For the first time in the game, BYU had some semblance of momentum.
Dybantsa’s poise and confidence were infectious, giving life to the rest of the team. Saunders added back-to-back baskets, and with five minutes left BYU went on a 13-2 run and was only down by five.
A huge pull-up three from Dybantsa, followed by another clutch three from Baker, put the Cougars within two, and for once, it felt like BYU had full presence and momentum over the game.
In the final minutes, a few missed UConn free throws put BYU within striking distance, but a Wright turnover with twelve seconds to go sealed the deal for UConn.
Three different UConn starters finished the game with 21 points each, and the assist numbers were still lopsided once time expired: UConn’s 21 to BYU’s seven.
Despite falling to 3-1 on the season, BYU still confidently proved that it is a top-10 team. With two starters gone, the Cougars came back down 20 to only lose by two to the No. 3 team in the entire country.
Early nonconference opponents such as UConn are the kind of battles that shape successful tournament teams, not just for playoff résumés but for actual experience against the best of the best. These experiences will be needed as BYU inches closer and closer to conference play in a stacked Big 12.
BYU continues its tough nonconference schedule when it faces No. 24 Wisconsin in Salt Lake City at the Delta Center on Friday.