3 keys to Cincinnati’s upset of No. 12 BYU in both teams’ 1st Big 12 game
jay drew
·6 min read
Brigham Young Cougars guard Richie Saunders (15) drives on Cincinnati Bearcats forwards Jamille Reynolds (13) and John Newman III (15) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Visiting Cincinnati pulled off an upset in its first Big 12 game, surprising No. 12 BYU 71-60 at the Marriott Center on Saturday night.
BYU led by as many as 10 points in both halves, but the Bearcats (1-0, 12-2) went on a 10-0 run midway through the second half to grab a 57-51 lead and handed the Cougars (0-1, 12-2) their first loss since Dec. 16.
Cincinnati overcame BYU’s 13 3-pointers — on 46 attempts — by going 19 of 24 from the free-throw line. The Cougars, who shoot fewer free throws than any team in the country, were just 5 of 10 from the charity stripe.
Announced attendance for BYU’s Big 12 opener was 16,879.
Brigham Young Cougars forward Atiki Ally Atiki (4) is defended by Cincinnati Bearcats forward Aziz Bandaogo (55) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guards Jaxson Robinson (2) and Dallin Hall (30) defend Cincinnati Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas (1) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars head coach Mark Pope shouts instructions in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Richie Saunders (15) drives on Cincinnati Bearcats forwards Jamille Reynolds (13) and John Newman III (15) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) celebrates a 3-pointer against the Cincinnati Bearcats in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Jaxson Robinson (2) reacts to a missed shot against the Cincinnati Bearcats in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Richie Saunders (15) competes with Cincinnati Bearcats guard Josh Reed (10) for the ball in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars fans try to distract Cincinnati Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas (1) during free throws in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
The Brigham Young Cougars bench reacts to a 3-pointer against the Cincinnati Bearcats in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Richie Saunders (15) drives on Cincinnati Bearcats forward John Newman III (15) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Dallin Hall (30) drive upcourt against Cincinnati Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas (1) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars head coach Mark Pope complains to the ref in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars head coach Mark Pope shouts instructions in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) hits a 3-pointer against the Cincinnati Bearcats in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Cincinnati Bearcats forward Aziz Bandaogo (55) dunks over Brigham Young Cougars forward Noah Waterman (0) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Cincinnati Bearcats coach Wes Miller shouts instruction in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars bench react after a 3-pointer by Brigham Young Cougars forward Noah Waterman (0) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Spencer Johnson (20) hits a 3-pointer past Cincinnati Bearcats guard Dan Skillings Jr. (0) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Jaxson Robinson (2) dribbles between defenders in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Spencer Johnson (20) tries to block the shot by Cincinnati Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas (1) in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars forward Fousseyni Traore (45) grabs a rebound in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars fans cheer in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Brigham Young Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) reacts after being fouled by Cincinnati Bearcats in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Cincinnati won 71-60. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Here are 3 keys to Cincinnati’s road victory:
• BYU’s Trevin Knell hit nine 3-pointers, tied for second-most in school history, but in the second half everybody in blue and white went cold while the Bearcats heated up after a miserable first half.
After Richie Saunders made a layup and was fouled, the Cougars had nine straight empty possessions and Cincinnati went on a 10-0 run to take control.
In a battle of the top two rebounding teams in the country, Cincinnati grabbed 44 caroms, compared to 37 for BYU.
• Down the stretch, BYU didn’t have a go-to guy to stop the bleeding and couldn’t regain the lead after leading by as many as 10 points early in the second half. Jaxson Robinson, BYU’s leading scorer, was held to five points on 2 of 7 shooting.
Of BYU’s 30 shot attempts in the first half, 22 were from 3-point range and only eight were from inside the arc. BYU had no inside presence, while former Utah Valley star Aziz Bandaogo and company dominated in the paint for Cincinnati.
• The Cougars came out firing and led by as many as 10 points in the first half because Cincinnati (28%) was even colder and more turnover-prone (13 in the first half).
The Bearcats had scoring droughts of nearly seven and five minutes in the first half before heating up a bit to trail just 31-24 at the break.
Bottom line was when the Cougars had a chance to put some distance between them and the visitors in the first half and early in the second half, they couldn’t do it.
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