No. 8 BYU showcases paint presence and pressure defense in its 98–53 victory

From the opening tip Saturday night at the Marriott Center, BYU’s defense dictated everything.

The Cougars’ relentless energy and on court chemistry forced stop after stop, leading to a commanding 98–53 win over Holy Cross that showcased their growing identity on both ends of the floor.

The pressure from BYU was constant, all the way to the final buzzer.

BYU forced 20 turnovers and notched 12 steals. Veteran guard Richie Saunders and senior Keba Keita tied their career-highs in steals with four and three, respectively.

The Cougars got hot early on, putting up a 10-0 lead and forcing Holy Cross into a timeout just three minutes into the game.

Saunders played a major role in his return to the court after facing an illness related setback earlier this week.

He put up 10 of his own in the first six minutes of the contest, giving the Cougars the energy they needed to put their foot on the gas and go.

Coach Kevin Young was pleased with Saunders' effort on the court, reaffirming that [Saunders] is a major component on this team.

"We all know that's who Richie is," Young said. "He is a great player, and he is going to be great for us this year and tonight was definitely what I expected him to play like."

Saunders finished with 20 points and a career tying four steals, while shooting 70% from the field and 30% from 3-point range.

Standout freshman AJ Dybansta and sophomore Robert Wright III also didn't disappoint in their Marriott Center debuts.

Dybantsa posted 17 points and eight rebounds. His presence in the paint was hard to miss.

The Cougars scored over half of their points (62) in the paint, and for Young, that was a major improvement from their last game against Villanova.

"That was something we did a lot of work on this week — was finishing," Young said. "Tonight you saw some good interior footwork by our guards, and obviously AJ is a load when he gets downhill, so athletic."

Young believes that being solid in the paint is what will take them from being a good team to a great team.

"Paint finishing to me is what moves the pendulum the most for me ... if we can figure out how to great paint finishers and rim finishers, we are going to be really really good. If not we will be okay," Young said.

BYU’s balanced effort on both ends of the floor left little doubt about its potential heading into the rest of non-conference play. With defense setting the tone and interior scoring clicking into rhythm, the Cougars look ready to match the moment.

BYU will host Delaware on Tuesday in the Marriott Center at 7 p.m.