No. 25 BYU tops 11th-ranked Baylor 78-71 behind strong game from Khalifa
PROVO, Utah (AP) Aly Khalifa had 14 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to lead No. 25 BYU to a 78-71 victory over No. 11 Baylor on Tuesday night.
Jaxson Robinson scored 16 points and Trevin Knell added 13 for the Cougars (19-7, 7-6 Big 12), who earned their third home victory over a Top 25 opponent this season.
Khalifa had a big hand in orchestrating the win in his first fully healthy game since battling a flu bug earlier in the month. He scored or assisted on 12 of BYU’s 29 baskets and had no turnovers.
“I was just being more aggressive,” Khalifa said. “I feel like teams have been pressuring me a lot. I’m just trying to figure out how to be effective on offense still when they’re pressuring me.”
Jalen Bridges finished with 15 points and eight rebounds to lead the Bears. Ja’Kobe Walter and Yves Missi tallied 13 points apiece for Baylor (19-7, 8-5), which lost for just the second time in seven games.
BYU outscored Baylor 20-4 in second chance points after grabbing16 offensive rebounds.
“We’re a tougher team than we showed tonight,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “We’re all disappointed by that.”
Robinson knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to break a 54-54 tie and fuel a 14-6 run. Fousseyni Traore and Noah Waterman made back-to-back dunks to cap the run and put BYU up 68-60 with 5:43 left.
Baylor never drew closer than four points the rest of the way. Robinson sealed the win with a 3-pointer and four free throws in the final two minutes.
“We knew it was unacceptable the way we had shown up on the defensive end the last two games, so we made (it) a big emphasis,” Robinson said.
Baylor started 9-of-11 from the field and built a 22-13 lead midway through the first half following back-to-back baskets from Miro Little and Walter.
The Bears unraveled on offense after going cold on the perimeter.
“I think we took great shots early. We didn’t take as good of shots later,” Drew said. “Credit their defense for forcing that.”
BYU went on an 8-0 run to get back into the game and trimmed the deficit to one a 3-pointer from Spencer Johnson. Bridges banked in a 3-pointer to quell the run. Baylor couldn’t keep the Cougars from eventually erasing the deficit.
Dallin Hall knocked down a go-ahead transition 3-pointer off a steal to punctuate a second 8-0 run that put BYU up 29-27. Khalifa hit a pair of 3-pointers late in the half to extend the Cougars’ lead to 40-33.
“Our guys started saying, ‘We’re going to trust the way we do this. We’re going to trust that we can actually do what we do,’” BYU coach Mark Pope said. “For 35 minutes, they were really really good, man.”
BIG PICTURE
Baylor’s inability to score from the perimeter put the Bears in a tough spot. After starting 3-of-3 from 3-point range through the first six minutes, they made just two more 3-pointers over the remaining 34 minutes.
BYU aggressively crashed the offensive glass and it helped the Cougars overcome a slow start on offense. The Cougars outscored Baylor 13-0 in second chance points before halftime while collecting nine offensive rebounds.
UP NEXT
Baylor hosts Houston on Saturday.
BYU visits Kansas State on Saturday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Yves Missi vs. Noah Waterman (Bears gains possession) | |||
19:41 | +3 | Jalen Bridges makes three point jump shot (RayJ Dennis assists) | 3-0 | |
19:13 | Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot | |||
19:11 | Ja'Kobe Walter defensive rebound | |||
19:05 | +2 | Ja'Kobe Walter makes two point reverse layup | 5-0 | |
19:05 | Aly Khalifa shooting foul (Ja'Kobe Walter draws the foul) | |||
19:05 | +1 | Ja'Kobe Walter makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 6-0 | |
18:35 | Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot | |||
18:33 | Dallin Hall offensive rebound | |||
18:25 | Aly Khalifa misses three point jump shot | |||
18:23 | Spencer Johnson offensive rebound | |||
18:15 | Trevin Knell turnover (lost ball) (Jalen Bridges steals) | |||
18:06 | +2 | Jalen Bridges makes two point dunk | 8-0 | |
17:55 | Yves Missi blocks Trevin Knell's two point layup | |||
17:53 | Aly Khalifa offensive rebound | |||
17:45 | +3 | Noah Waterman makes three point jump shot (Aly Khalifa assists) | 8-3 | |
17:30 | +3 | Jayden Nunn makes three point jump shot (RayJ Dennis assists) | 11-3 | |
16:59 | Noah Waterman misses three point jump shot | |||
16:57 | Jalen Bridges defensive rebound | |||
16:43 | RayJ Dennis misses two point jump shot | |||
16:41 | Noah Waterman defensive rebound | |||
16:33 | +3 | Aly Khalifa makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists) | 11-6 | |
16:06 | Spencer Johnson personal foul (Jalen Bridges draws the foul) | |||
15:57 | +2 | Josh Ojianwuna makes two point alley-oop dunk (RayJ Dennis assists) | 13-6 | |
15:45 | Spencer Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
15:43 | Dallin Hall offensive rebound | |||
15:38 | +2 | Dallin Hall makes two point reverse layup | 13-8 | |
15:11 | Josh Ojianwuna turnover (bad pass) (Aly Khalifa steals) | |||
15:01 | Langston Love personal foul (Spencer Johnson draws the foul) | |||
15:01 | TV timeout | |||
14:40 | Fousseyni Traore turnover (lost ball) | |||
14:16 | +3 | Langston Love makes three point pullup jump shot | 16-8 | |
13:51 | +2 | Richie Saunders makes two point layup | 16-10 | |
13:23 | +2 | Jayden Nunn makes two point layup | 18-10 | |
13:01 | Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot | |||
12:59 | Langston Love defensive rebound | |||
12:41 | Ja'Kobe Walter turnover (traveling) | |||
12:32 | Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot | |||
12:30 | Langston Love defensive rebound | |||
12:22 | Dallin Hall personal foul | |||
12:22 | Caleb Lohner offensive foul | |||
12:22 | Caleb Lohner turnover (offensive foul) | |||
11:58 | +2 | Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup (Richie Saunders assists) | 18-12 | |
11:58 | Jayden Nunn shooting foul (Fousseyni Traore draws the foul) | |||
11:58 | TV timeout | |||
11:58 | +1 | Fousseyni Traore makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 18-13 | |
11:32 | Jayden Nunn misses two point jump shot | |||
11:30 | Spencer Johnson defensive rebound | |||
11:30 | Jaxson Robinson misses three point jump shot | |||
11:24 | Cougars offensive rebound | |||
11:24 | Jayden Nunn personal foul | |||
11:15 | Jaxson Robinson misses two point floating jump shot | |||
11:13 | Jaxson Robinson offensive rebound | |||
11:06 | Jaxson Robinson misses two point layup | |||
11:04 | Yves Missi defensive rebound | |||
10:58 | +2 | Miro Little makes two point layup | 20-13 | |
10:40 | Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot | |||
10:38 | Yves Missi defensive rebound | |||
10:32 | Fousseyni Traore personal foul (Yves Missi draws the foul) | |||
10:24 | +2 | Ja'Kobe Walter makes two point pullup jump shot | 22-13 | |
10:03 | Richie Saunders misses two point layup | |||
10:01 | Aly Khalifa offensive rebound | |||
9:56 | +2 | Aly Khalifa makes two point layup | 22-15 | |
9:38 | Ja'Kobe Walter misses three point jump shot | |||
9:36 | Jaxson Robinson defensive rebound | |||
9:28 | +3 | Jaxson Robinson makes three point stepback jump shot (Aly Khalifa assists) | 22-18 | |
9:02 | RayJ Dennis misses two point driving hook shot | |||
9:00 | Richie Saunders defensive rebound | |||
8:52 | Ja'Kobe Walter personal foul (Spencer Johnson draws the foul) | |||
8:51 | RayJ Dennis personal foul (Jaxson Robinson draws the foul) | |||
8:42 | Noah Waterman misses three point jump shot | |||
8:40 | Josh Ojianwuna defensive rebound | |||
8:28 | Aly Khalifa blocks Miro Little's two point layup | |||
8:26 | Josh Ojianwuna offensive rebound | |||
8:19 | RayJ Dennis misses three point jump shot | |||
8:17 | Jalen Bridges offensive rebound | |||
8:16 | Richie Saunders personal foul (Jalen Bridges draws the foul) | |||
8:11 | Jalen Bridges misses three point jump shot | |||
8:09 | Aly Khalifa defensive rebound | |||
8:00 | +3 | Spencer Johnson makes three point stepback jump shot | 22-21 | |
7:30 | +3 | Jalen Bridges makes three point stepback bank jump shot | 25-21 | |
6:59 | Dallin Hall turnover (lost ball) (Langston Love steals) | |||
6:56 | Richie Saunders shooting foul (Miro Little draws the foul) | |||
6:56 | TV timeout | |||
6:56 | +1 | Miro Little makes flagrant free throw 1 of 2 | 26-21 | |
6:56 | +1 | Miro Little makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2 | 27-21 | |
6:47 | Langston Love misses three point jump shot | |||
6:45 | Dallin Hall defensive rebound | |||
6:36 | +3 | Trevin Knell makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists) | 27-24 | |
6:22 | Jalen Bridges misses three point jump shot | |||
6:20 | Spencer Johnson defensive rebound | |||
6:07 | +2 | Noah Waterman makes two point dunk (Aly Khalifa assists) | 27-26 | |
5:40 | Jalen Bridges turnover (lost ball) (Spencer Johnson steals) | |||
5:35 | +3 | Dallin Hall makes three point jump shot (Spencer Johnson assists) | 27-29 | |
5:34 | Bears 30 second timeout | |||
5:09 | +2 | Jalen Bridges makes two point layup | 29-29 | |
4:40 | Jaxson Robinson misses two point fadeaway jump shot | |||
4:38 | Josh Ojianwuna defensive rebound | |||
4:38 | Dallin Hall personal foul (Langston Love draws the foul) | |||
4:38 | Langston Love misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
4:38 | Jalen Bridges offensive rebound | |||
4:29 | Ja'Kobe Walter misses three point jump shot | |||
4:27 | Trevin Knell defensive rebound | |||
4:21 | Jaxson Robinson misses three point jump shot | |||
4:19 | Yves Missi defensive rebound | |||
4:13 | Jaxson Robinson blocks Jalen Bridges's two point layup | |||
4:11 | Trevin Knell defensive rebound | |||
3:46 | Jaxson Robinson misses three point jump shot | |||
3:45 | Bears defensive rebound | |||
3:44 | TV timeout | |||
3:34 | +2 | Yves Missi makes two point alley-oop dunk (RayJ Dennis assists) | 31-29 | |
3:21 | +2 | Trevin Knell makes two point layup (Aly Khalifa assists) | 31-31 | |
3:05 | RayJ Dennis turnover (bad pass) | |||
2:42 | +3 | Aly Khalifa makes three point jump shot (Trevin Knell assists) | 31-34 | |
2:09 | Jaxson Robinson shooting foul (RayJ Dennis draws the foul) | |||
2:09 | +1 | RayJ Dennis makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 32-34 | |
2:09 | +1 | RayJ Dennis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 33-34 | |
1:52 | Spencer Johnson misses two point layup | |||
1:51 | Spencer Johnson offensive rebound | |||
1:51 | +2 | Spencer Johnson makes two point tip layup | 33-36 | |
1:51 | Miro Little shooting foul (Spencer Johnson draws the foul) | |||
1:51 | +1 | Spencer Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 33-37 | |
1:27 | Trevin Knell personal foul (Miro Little draws the foul) | |||
1:27 | Miro Little misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
1:27 | Jump ball. (Cougars gains possession) | |||
1:27 | Cougars defensive rebound | |||
1:09 | Jaxson Robinson misses three point jump shot | |||
1:07 | Spencer Johnson offensive rebound | |||
1:02 | +3 | Aly Khalifa makes three point jump shot (Spencer Johnson assists) | 33-40 | |
0:50 | Richie Saunders shooting foul (Ja'Kobe Walter draws the foul) | |||
0:50 | +1 | Ja'Kobe Walter makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 34-40 | |
0:50 | +1 | Ja'Kobe Walter makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 35-40 | |
0:28 | +2 | Trevin Knell makes two point reverse layup | 35-42 | |
0:01 | +2 | Yves Missi makes two point dunk (RayJ Dennis assists) | 37-42 | |
0:00 | End of period |