Robinson scores career-high 24 points as No. 19 BYU coasts past Fresno State to move to 7-0
AP
Dec 02, 2023
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Jaxson Robinson scored a career-high 24 points, making six 3-pointers, while Spencer Johnson added a career-high 22 points to lead No. 19 BYU to an 85-56 victory over Fresno State Bulldogs on Friday night.
Johnson also had five assists and five rebounds for BYU (7-0), which has won 12 straight non-conference games dating back to last season – the program’s longest streak since 2011. The Cougars improved to 23-5 all-time in games played at the Delta Center, the home arena for the Utah Jazz.
“We’re a deep team,” Johnson said. “A lot of dudes can play. A lot of dudes can shoot. It’s just awesome to be part of.”
Isaiah Hill led the Bulldogs with 14 points. Jalen Weaver added 10. Fresno State (3-4) suffered its third straight loss after trailing by double digits throughout most of the game.
The Bulldogs committed 21 turnovers leading to 36 points for BYU.
“We knew the challenge coming in, but they just took our lunch,” Fresno State coach Justin Hutson said. “You can’t have 21 turnovers the way we had them and they happened all over the place.”
BYU flustered the Bulldogs by repeatedly switching up defenses. The Cougars utilized three different types of full-court presses and even went to a zone for a few possessions.
It all proved effective.
“What’s fun is our team could not have responded to changes in real time in the game last year. We were too young,” BYU coach Mark Pope said. “These guys have come so far. The best thing we have going right now is our guys’ communication is elite.”
The Cougars rode a hot start from Johnson to carve out an early double-digit lead. Johnson made five of his first six shots and scored 12 of BYU’s first 17 points. He hit a 3-pointer and made back-to-back layups to fuel an 11-0 run that gave BYU a 19-7 lead.
Climbing out of that early hole proved to be a chore for the Bulldogs. Fresno State played carelessly with the ball throughout the first half and struggled to generate much rhythm on offense. BYU took advantage, scoring 15 points off 11 turnovers before halftime.
“This group is well connected,” Robinson said. “I think that’s what makes a really big difference from last year’s team. We’re seeing it on the court.”
The Cougars missed 10 of 11 shots late in the first half and scored a single basket over a seven-minute stretch. Fresno State could not erase the double-digit gap, however, and fell further behind after halftime.
BYU made four straight baskets as a part of an 11-2 run to push its lead to 49-28 early in the second half. Dallin Hall bookended the run with a 3-pointer and a layup.
The Cougars led by as many as 32 points in the second half.
BIG PICTURE
Fresno State: Turnovers and prolonged scoring droughts were a major problem for the Bulldogs from the start and kept them from ever seriously threatening BYU.
BYU: The Cougars endured a few dry spells with their shooting but clamped down defensively to keep Fresno State from capitalizing on those droughts.
UP NEXT
Fresno State hosts Idaho State on Tuesday.
BYU hosts Evansville on Tuesday.
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1st Half
FRES
Bulldogs
23
BYU
Cougars
36
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Noah Waterman vs. Eduardo Andre (Cougars gains possession)
19:35
Dallin Hall misses two point layup
19:33
Eduardo Andre defensive rebound
19:13
+2
Xavier DuSell makes two point jump shot
2-0
18:44
+2
Spencer Johnson makes two point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)
2-2
18:18
Donavan Yap Jr. turnover
17:58
Spencer Johnson turnover (Isaiah Hill steals)
17:31
Donavan Yap Jr. misses two point layup
17:29
Noah Waterman defensive rebound
17:26
+3
Trevin Knell makes three point jump shot (Spencer Johnson assists)
2-5
16:59
+2
Isaiah Hill makes two point jump shot
4-5
16:43
Spencer Johnson misses three point jump shot
16:41
Eduardo Andre defensive rebound
16:31
Eduardo Andre turnover (Dallin Hall steals)
16:27
+2
Spencer Johnson makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists)
4-7
16:27
Donavan Yap Jr. shooting foul (Spencer Johnson draws the foul)
16:27
+1
Spencer Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1
4-8
16:24
Bulldogs 30 second timeout
16:24
TV timeout
15:57
+3
Xavier DuSell makes three point jump shot (Donavan Yap Jr. assists)
7-8
15:28
Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
15:26
Spencer Johnson offensive rebound
15:19
+3
Spencer Johnson makes three point jump shot (Trevin Knell assists)
7-11
15:10
Donavan Yap Jr. turnover (Spencer Johnson steals)
15:10
Donavan Yap Jr. personal foul
15:01
+2
Trevin Knell makes two point jump shot
7-13
14:29
Isaiah Pope misses two point layup
14:27
Trevin Knell defensive rebound
14:18
Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot
14:16
Isaiah Pope defensive rebound
14:08
Isaiah Pope turnover (Spencer Johnson steals)
14:03
+2
Spencer Johnson makes two point layup
7-15
13:36
Isaiah Hill misses three point jump shot
13:34
Noah Waterman defensive rebound
13:25
+2
Spencer Johnson makes two point layup (Aly Khalifa assists)
7-17
13:00
Isaiah Hill misses two point layup
12:58
Noah Waterman defensive rebound
12:49
Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
12:47
Bulldogs defensive rebound
12:47
Noah Waterman personal foul
12:21
Isaiah Hill misses three point jump shot
12:19
Atiki Ally Atiki defensive rebound
11:59
+2
Atiki Ally Atiki makes two point dunk (Spencer Johnson assists)
7-19
11:38
Isaiah Hill turnover (Jaxson Robinson steals)
11:20
Richie Saunders misses two point layup
11:18
Atiki Ally Atiki offensive rebound
11:15
Isaiah Hill personal foul
11:13
TV timeout
11:10
Trey Stewart turnover (traveling)
10:47
+2
Jalen Weaver makes two point layup
9-19
10:47
Atiki Ally Atiki shooting foul (Jalen Weaver draws the foul)
10:47
+1
Jalen Weaver makes regular free throw 1 of 1
10-19
10:29
+3
Jaxson Robinson makes three point jump shot (Atiki Ally Atiki assists)
10-22
10:00
Leo Colimerio turnover (Trey Stewart steals)
9:51
Richie Saunders misses two point layup
9:49
Trey Stewart offensive rebound
9:47
+2
Trey Stewart makes two point layup
10-24
9:28
Leo Colimerio misses two point layup
9:26
Richie Saunders defensive rebound
9:15
Trey Stewart misses three point jump shot
9:13
Bulldogs defensive rebound
9:13
Atiki Ally Atiki personal foul
9:13
Atiki Ally Atiki technical foul
9:13
+1
Isaiah Hill makes technical free throw 1 of 2
11-24
9:13
Isaiah Hill misses technical free throw 2 of 2
9:00
+2
Isaiah Hill makes two point jump shot
13-24
8:47
+2
Jaxson Robinson makes two point jump shot (Aly Khalifa assists)
13-26
8:35
Isaiah Pope turnover (bad pass)
8:20
+3
Jaxson Robinson makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)
13-29
7:55
Jalen Weaver misses three point jump shot
7:53
Jaxson Robinson defensive rebound
7:46
Jaxson Robinson misses two point layup
7:44
Isaiah Hill defensive rebound
7:24
+2
Eduardo Andre makes two point jump shot
15-29
7:07
Aly Khalifa misses two point jump shot
7:05
Eduardo Andre defensive rebound
6:42
Isaiah Hill misses two point jump shot
6:40
Richie Saunders defensive rebound
6:24
Jaxson Robinson misses two point jump shot
6:22
Aly Khalifa offensive rebound
6:19
Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
6:17
Leo Colimerio defensive rebound
6:09
Bulldogs 30 second timeout
6:09
TV timeout
5:53
+2
Enoch Boakye makes two point dunk (Isaiah Hill assists)