3 keys to No. 18 BYU’s 63-58 Big 12 win over UCF
ORLANDO, Florida — Three days after upsetting No. 3 Kansas at home, UCF ran out of magic in a Big 12 game and fell 63-58 to No. 18 BYU at Addition Arena.
It was the first Big 12 win for BYU after three tries.
BYU led 59-50 with 3:55 left but missed three of four free throws the next three minutes, and UCF pulled to within a point, 59-58, with a minute remaining and had the ball.
Aly Khalifa led BYU with 17 points and Trevin Knell added 14 as BYU snapped a seven-game road losing streak that dates back to last January.
Here are three keys to BYU’s first Big 12 basketball win:
• BYU played one of its best defensive games of the season, holding the Knights to 29% shooting, including a 3 of 18 effort from the 3-point line. Darius Johnson led UCF with 18 points but needed 18 shots to get there.
• The Cougars have had halftime leads in all three of their Big 12 games, but were only able to close out this one with a victory. But just barely. After Jaxson Robinson missed a bonus opportunity with 23.1 seconds remaining, the Knights raced down court but committed a turnover with 12.5 seconds remaining.
• Central Florida got into the double bonus in the first half but couldn’t capitalize and was just 5 of 13 from the free-throw line in the first 20 minutes. The Knights kept it close by grabbing 11 offensive rebounds before halftime and finished with 17 offensive rebounds and nine second-chance points.
Three straight 3-pointers on three possessions lifted UCF to an early 11-7 lead, but BYU went on a 9-0 run and led the remainder of the first half.
The home team took 33 free throws, compared to 17 for BYU.
