Fousseyni Traore scores season-high 24 points, No. 22 BYU beats West Virginia 86-73
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) A healthy Fousseyni Traore is giving No. 22 BYU a big lift heading into the final month of the regular season.
Traore had a season-high 24 points and nine rebounds to lead the Cougars to an 86-73 victory over West Virginia on Saturday night.
Traore, the team’s top returning scorer from last season, missed seven games in December with a hamstring injury. He entered the game averaging eight points and four rebounds.
BYU, which is second nationally in 3-pointers made per game, was solid in the paint for the second straight contest, led by Traore. With center Aly Khalifa out with an illness, Traore was dominant from the start. He scored BYU’s first eight points and finished 10 of 15 from the floor.
Traore called the game a “special opportunity” and credited his teammates, “who made my night super easy. It was fun to play.”
When he wasn’t taking shots or setting screens, Traore was mixing it up near the basket, grabbing six rebounds on the offensive end. He helped limit West Virginia center Jesse Edwards to 16 points. Edwards was coming off a season-high 25 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday against Cincinnati.
“Fouss knew coming into this game that he was going to have to carry a massive load against one of the elite centers in this league,” BYU coach Mark Pope said. “Fouss was up for the challenge and he was terrific tonight.”
Edwards, who was in his third game back after missing six weeks with a broken wrist, made no excuses for how Traore imposed his will.
“He was strong,” Edwards said. "I kind of let my team down. I'm a lot better on defense than what I showed tonight, Credit to him. He did a really good job. He made it tough."
West Virginia interim coach Josh Eilert said that with Khalifa out of the lineup, “I think they did some different things against us that we probably weren’t ready for.”
Richie Saunders added 17 points and Jaxson Robinson scored 15 for the Cougars (16-5, 4-4 Big 12), who earned their second road win in five trips this season.
Kerr Kriisa scored a season-high 23 points and RaeQuan Battle added 14 for West Virginia (8-14, 3-6).
West Virginia went more than six minutes without a field goal spanning both halves, while BYU made three 3-pointers in a three-minute span early in the second half and started pulling away.
Saunders' three-point play gave the Cougars their largest lead, 56-39, with 13:44 left.
Kriisa answered with three 3-pointers and Battle sank two free throws to cut the deficit to 70-65 with 5:26 left, but the Mountaineers got no closer.
BYU, which made 13 of 36 3-pointers, missed its first seven attempts from beyond the arc. The Cougars finished the first half on an 11-2 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Saunders, for a 38-29 halftime lead.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
BYU could move up few spots in the AP Top 25 poll after a 2-0 week.
BIG PICTURE
BYU: The Cougars scored 38 points in the paint after getting a season-high 40 in a win over Texas in its last game on Jan. 27.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers still haven’t won consecutive games all season. They had the chance after beating Cincinnati at home.
UP NEXT
BYU: Plays at No. 23 Oklahoma on Tuesday.
West Virginia: Plays at Texas next Saturday.
--- Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here --- AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Fousseyni Traore vs. Jesse Edwards (Kerr Kriisa gains possession) | |||
19:54 | +2 | Jesse Edwards makes two point dunk (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 0-2 | |
19:34 | Jaxson Robinson turnover (lost ball) (Kerr Kriisa steals) | |||
19:14 | Kerr Kriisa misses two point jump shot | |||
19:12 | Jaxson Robinson defensive rebound | |||
18:51 | Kerr Kriisa turnover (lost ball) (Spencer Johnson steals) | |||
18:46 | +2 | Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup | 2-2 | |
18:24 | +2 | RaeQuan Battle makes two point dunk (Jesse Edwards assists) | 2-4 | |
18:08 | Spencer Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
18:06 | Jesse Edwards defensive rebound | |||
18:00 | Jaxson Robinson personal foul | |||
17:57 | Noah Waterman personal foul | |||
17:55 | Fousseyni Traore blocks Quinn Slazinski's two point jump shot | |||
17:53 | Spencer Johnson defensive rebound | |||
17:38 | Jaxson Robinson misses two point jump shot | |||
17:36 | Jesse Edwards defensive rebound | |||
17:18 | +2 | Jesse Edwards makes two point jump shot | 2-6 | |
17:01 | +2 | Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists) | 4-6 | |
16:36 | +2 | Jesse Edwards makes two point layup | 4-8 | |
16:15 | Fousseyni Traore misses two point layup | |||
16:13 | Fousseyni Traore offensive rebound | |||
16:10 | +2 | Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup | 6-8 | |
16:00 | RaeQuan Battle misses three point jump shot | |||
15:58 | Noah Waterman defensive rebound | |||
15:40 | Noah Waterman misses three point jump shot | |||
15:38 | TV timeout | |||
15:11 | +2 | Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup | 8-8 | |
14:53 | +2 | Quinn Slazinski makes two point layup | 8-10 | |
14:32 | Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot | |||
14:30 | Fousseyni Traore offensive rebound | |||
14:21 | Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot | |||
14:19 | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | |||
14:08 | Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot | |||
14:06 | Spencer Johnson defensive rebound | |||
13:50 | Dallin Hall turnover (bad pass) (Quinn Slazinski steals) | |||
13:43 | +2 | RaeQuan Battle makes two point jump shot (Quinn Slazinski assists) | 8-12 | |
13:36 | Jaxson Robinson misses three point jump shot | |||
13:34 | Spencer Johnson offensive rebound | |||
13:32 | +2 | Spencer Johnson makes two point layup | 10-12 | |
13:12 | Kobe Johnson offensive foul | |||
13:12 | Kobe Johnson turnover (offensive foul) | |||
12:46 | +2 | Trevin Knell makes two point jump shot | 12-12 | |
12:33 | Quinn Slazinski misses two point layup | |||
12:31 | Noah Farrakhan offensive rebound | |||
12:29 | Noah Farrakhan misses three point jump shot | |||
12:27 | Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound | |||
12:18 | +2 | Trevin Knell makes two point jump shot | 14-12 | |
12:05 | Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot | |||
12:03 | Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound | |||
11:58 | +3 | Kerr Kriisa makes three point jump shot (Seth Wilson assists) | 14-15 | |
11:48 | Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot | |||
11:46 | Patrick Suemnick defensive rebound | |||
11:37 | Quinn Slazinski misses two point layup | |||
11:35 | Trevin Knell defensive rebound | |||
11:32 | +2 | Spencer Johnson makes two point layup (Trevin Knell assists) | 16-15 | |
11:15 | TV timeout | |||
10:50 | Atiki Ally Atiki turnover (bad pass) | |||
10:22 | Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot | |||
10:20 | Jaxson Robinson defensive rebound | |||
10:13 | Jaxson Robinson misses three point jump shot | |||
10:11 | Josiah Harris defensive rebound | |||
9:57 | Jesse Edwards misses two point layup | |||
9:55 | Jesse Edwards offensive rebound | |||
9:55 | +2 | Jesse Edwards makes two point layup | 16-17 | |
9:55 | Atiki Ally Atiki shooting foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul) | |||
9:55 | Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
9:55 | Richie Saunders defensive rebound | |||
9:33 | +3 | Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists) | 19-17 | |
9:16 | Josiah Harris misses three point jump shot | |||
9:14 | Richie Saunders defensive rebound | |||
8:53 | +3 | Jaxson Robinson makes three point jump shot (Trevin Knell assists) | 22-17 | |
8:37 | Jesse Edwards misses two point layup | |||
8:35 | Trevin Knell defensive rebound | |||
8:32 | Jaxson Robinson misses three point jump shot | |||
8:30 | Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound | |||
8:26 | Trevin Knell blocks Noah Farrakhan's two point layup | |||
8:26 | Mountaineers offensive rebound | |||
8:18 | +2 | Noah Farrakhan makes two point layup | 22-19 | |
8:07 | +2 | Richie Saunders makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists) | 24-19 | |
7:45 | Seth Wilson misses three point jump shot | |||
7:43 | Richie Saunders defensive rebound | |||
7:27 | Richie Saunders misses two point layup | |||
7:25 | Atiki Ally Atiki offensive rebound | |||
7:24 | Atiki Ally Atiki misses two point layup | |||
7:22 | Richie Saunders offensive rebound | |||
7:22 | Jesse Edwards blocks Richie Saunders's two point jump shot | |||
7:20 | Seth Wilson defensive rebound | |||
7:15 | +3 | Josiah Harris makes three point jump shot (Noah Farrakhan assists) | 24-22 | |
6:52 | Jesse Edwards personal foul | |||
6:52 | TV timeout | |||
6:52 | +1 | Atiki Ally Atiki makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-22 | |
6:52 | Atiki Ally Atiki misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
6:52 | Josiah Harris defensive rebound | |||
6:34 | RaeQuan Battle misses three point jump shot | |||
6:32 | Josiah Harris offensive rebound | |||
6:28 | +3 | RaeQuan Battle makes three point jump shot (Josiah Harris assists) | 25-25 | |
6:11 | Jesse Edwards shooting foul (Atiki Ally Atiki draws the foul) | |||
6:11 | Atiki Ally Atiki misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:11 | Atiki Ally Atiki misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
6:11 | Patrick Suemnick defensive rebound | |||
5:51 | Quinn Slazinski misses two point jump shot | |||
5:49 | Atiki Ally Atiki defensive rebound | |||
5:33 | Quinn Slazinski shooting foul (Fousseyni Traore draws the foul) | |||
5:33 | +1 | Fousseyni Traore makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-25 | |
5:33 | +1 | Fousseyni Traore makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-25 | |
5:18 | Kobe Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
5:16 | Patrick Suemnick offensive rebound | |||
5:12 | +2 | Patrick Suemnick makes two point layup | 27-27 | |
5:04 | Kobe Johnson turnover (bad pass) | |||
5:00 | +3 | Spencer Johnson makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists) | 30-27 | |
4:35 | Noah Farrakhan turnover (bad pass) (Fousseyni Traore steals) | |||
4:29 | Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot | |||
4:27 | Patrick Suemnick defensive rebound | |||
4:04 | Fousseyni Traore blocks Noah Farrakhan's two point jump shot | |||
4:02 | Cougars defensive rebound | |||
3:50 | Spencer Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
3:48 | Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound | |||
3:40 | Quinn Slazinski misses three point jump shot | |||
3:38 | RaeQuan Battle offensive rebound | |||
3:24 | +2 | Patrick Suemnick makes two point layup | 30-29 | |
3:04 | Fousseyni Traore misses two point jump shot | |||
3:02 | Fousseyni Traore offensive rebound | |||
2:57 | Fousseyni Traore misses two point layup | |||
2:55 | Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound | |||
2:55 | Kerr Kriisa turnover (lost ball) (Jaxson Robinson steals) | |||
2:50 | Spencer Johnson misses two point layup | |||
2:48 | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | |||
2:43 | Noah Waterman blocks RaeQuan Battle's two point layup | |||
2:41 | Jaxson Robinson defensive rebound | |||
2:34 | +2 | Fousseyni Traore makes two point dunk (Dallin Hall assists) | 32-29 | |
2:12 | RaeQuan Battle misses three point jump shot | |||
2:09 | Cougars defensive rebound | |||
2:09 | TV timeout | |||
1:45 | Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot | |||
1:43 | Fousseyni Traore offensive rebound | |||
1:39 | +3 | Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Fousseyni Traore assists) | 35-29 | |
1:19 | Quinn Slazinski misses three point jump shot | |||
1:17 | Trevin Knell defensive rebound | |||
1:10 | Patrick Suemnick personal foul (Fousseyni Traore draws the foul) | |||
0:56 | +3 | Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists) | 38-29 | |
0:54 | Mountaineers 30 second timeout | |||
0:33 | RaeQuan Battle misses two point jump shot | |||
0:31 | Patrick Suemnick offensive rebound | |||
0:28 | Patrick Suemnick misses two point layup | |||
0:26 | Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound | |||
0:05 | RaeQuan Battle misses three point jump shot | |||
0:03 | Cougars defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |