CINCY

BYU

Richie Saunders hits 5 3s, scores 21 as BYU beats Cincinnati 80-52

AP
Jan 26, 2025

PROVO, Utah (AP) Richie Saunders hit 5 of 6 from 3-point range and scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half on Saturday night to help BYU Cougars beat Cincinnati Bearcats 80-52.

Egor Demin finished with 15 points, seven assists and five rebounds for BYU (13-6, 4-4 Big 12) and Dawson Baker added 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Simas Lukosius hit a 3-pointer that cut Cincinnati's deficit to five points less than a minute into the second half but Saunders answered with a 3 12 seconds later and added another before Trevin Knell hit from behind the arc to cap a 14-2 run that made it 45-28 and BYU led by double figures for the final 18-plus minutes.

Lukosius led Cincinnati (12-7, 2-6) with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting. The rest of the Bearcats players made 18 of 50 (36%) from the field.

Lukosius made a 3-pointer that tied it at 23-all with 1:04 left in the first half but Demin answered with two free throws to give BYU the lead for good before his 3-pointer made it 28-23 at halftime.

The Cougars shot 73.4% (17 of 23) from the field and hit 11 of their 15 3-pointers in the second half. BYU made 28 of 49 (57%) overall and hit 63% from behind the arc.

Cincinnati plays at Utah on Tuesday. BYU also plays Tuesday, when the Cougars play host to Baylor.

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1st Half
CINCY
Bearcats
23
BYU
Cougars
28

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Bearcats gains possession)
19:36	+2	Aziz Bandaogo makes two point jump shot (Dan Skillings Jr. assists)	2-0
19:13		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
19:11		Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound
19:00		Jizzle James misses two point jump shot
18:58		Dillon Mitchell offensive rebound
18:50		Simas Lukošius misses two point jump shot
18:48		Egor Demin defensive rebound
18:35	+3	Trevin Knell makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	2-3
18:12		Jizzle James misses three point jump shot
18:10		Simas Lukošius offensive rebound
18:06	+3	Simas Lukošius makes three point jump shot	5-3
17:34	+2	Keba Keita makes two point layup (Trevin Knell assists)	5-5
17:15		Dan Skillings Jr. misses three point jump shot
17:13		Egor Demin defensive rebound
17:01		Richie Saunders misses two point jump shot
16:59		Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound
16:47		Dillon Mitchell misses three point jump shot
16:45		Dan Skillings Jr. offensive rebound
16:36		Egor Demin personal foul
16:26		Dan Skillings Jr. misses three point jump shot
16:24		Bearcats offensive rebound
16:13		Simas Lukošius misses three point jump shot
16:13		Keba Keita defensive rebound
16:13		Dillon Mitchell personal foul (Keba Keita draws the foul)
16:13		TV timeout
15:57	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup (Egor Demin assists)	5-7
15:37		Simas Lukošius turnover (lost ball) (Mawot Mag steals)
15:26		Egor Demin turnover (Day Day Thomas steals)
15:18	+3	Day Day Thomas makes three point jump shot (Simas Lukošius assists)	8-7
15:00	+2	Trevin Knell makes two point jump shot	8-9
14:39		Jizzle James misses three point jump shot
14:37		Keba Keita defensive rebound
14:19		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
14:17		Jizzle James defensive rebound
14:11		Simas Lukošius misses three point jump shot
14:09		Simas Lukošius offensive rebound
13:52		Dillon Mitchell misses three point jump shot
13:50		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
13:45		Simas Lukošius personal foul
13:44		Richie Saunders turnover
13:27		Arrinten Page turnover (lost ball) (Richie Saunders steals)
13:27		Dallin Hall misses two point jump shot
13:25		CJ Fredrick Jr. defensive rebound
13:13	+2	Day Day Thomas makes two point layup	10-9
12:44		Dallin Hall misses two point jump shot
12:44		Fousseyni Traore offensive rebound
12:44		Jump ball. (Cougars gains possession)
12:36		Dillon Mitchell blocks Richie Saunders's two point layup
12:34		Bearcats defensive rebound
12:18		Arrinten Page misses two point jump shot
12:16		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
12:08		Dillon Mitchell personal foul
11:51		TV timeout
11:47	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Dawson Baker assists)	10-12
11:29	+2	Dan Skillings Jr. makes two point layup (Day Day Thomas assists)	12-12
11:13	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point jump shot	12-14
10:53		Dan Skillings Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Kanon Catchings steals)
10:50		Josh Reed blocks Kanon Catchings's two point layup
10:48		Cougars offensive rebound
10:45	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup	12-16
10:22		Simas Lukošius misses two point layup
10:20		Dallin Hall defensive rebound
9:56		Fousseyni Traore misses two point hook shot
9:54		Josh Reed defensive rebound
9:45	+2	Dan Skillings Jr. makes two point layup	14-16
9:45		Official timeout
9:20	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point jump shot	14-18
8:56		Jizzle James misses two point layup
8:54		Egor Demin defensive rebound
8:28		Dawson Baker misses two point jump shot
8:26		Simas Lukošius defensive rebound
8:23		Dawson Baker personal foul (Simas Lukošius draws the foul)
8:03		Tyler Betsey turnover (out of bounds)
7:40	+3	Kanon Catchings makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)	14-21
7:17		Aziz Bandaogo turnover (offensive goaltending)
7:17		TV timeout
7:08		Kanon Catchings misses three point jump shot
7:06		Richie Saunders offensive rebound
6:57		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
6:55		Tyler Betsey defensive rebound
6:46		Jizzle James misses two point layup
6:44		Aziz Bandaogo offensive rebound
6:44		Aziz Bandaogo misses two point layup
6:42		Dillon Mitchell offensive rebound
6:34	+2	Jizzle James makes two point jump shot	16-21
6:11		Josh Reed blocks Richie Saunders's two point layup
6:09		Richie Saunders offensive rebound
6:05		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
6:03		Keba Keita offensive rebound
5:51	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	16-23
5:21		Jizzle James misses two point jump shot
5:19		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
5:15		Richie Saunders misses two point layup
5:13		Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound
5:02		Jizzle James misses three point jump shot
5:00		Cougars defensive rebound
4:32		Richie Saunders misses two point jump shot
4:30		Bearcats defensive rebound
4:09		Josh Reed misses three point jump shot
4:07		Keba Keita defensive rebound
4:01		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass)
3:47		Dan Skillings Jr. misses three point jump shot
3:45		Dillon Mitchell offensive rebound
3:44		Dillon Mitchell misses two point layup
3:42		Josh Reed offensive rebound
3:25	+2	Dan Skillings Jr. makes two point jump shot	18-23
3:17		Cougars 30 second timeout
3:17		TV timeout
3:00		Trevin Knell turnover (bad pass) (Day Day Thomas steals)
2:44		Trevin Knell blocks Dan Skillings Jr.'s two point jump shot
2:42		Bearcats offensive rebound
2:29		Dan Skillings Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Trevin Knell steals)
2:18		Josh Reed personal foul
1:57		Jump ball. Fousseyni Traore vs. Arrinten Page (Bearcats gains possession)
1:57		Fousseyni Traore turnover (lost ball) (Arrinten Page steals)
1:42	+2	Aziz Bandaogo makes two point dunk (Jizzle James assists)	20-23
1:19		Mawot Mag offensive foul
1:19		Mawot Mag turnover (offensive foul)
1:03	+3	Simas Lukošius makes three point jump shot (Day Day Thomas assists)	23-23
0:45		Jizzle James shooting foul (Egor Demin draws the foul)
0:45	+1	Egor Demin makes regular free throw 1 of 2	23-24
0:45	+1	Egor Demin makes regular free throw 2 of 2	23-25
0:45		Bearcats 30 second timeout
0:33		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
0:31		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
0:16		Simas Lukošius personal foul (Egor Demin draws the foul)
0:05	+3	Egor Demin makes three point jump shot	23-28
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
CINCY
Bearcats
29
BYU
Cougars
52

Time		Play	Score
19:43	+3	Egor Demin makes three point jump shot (Trevin Knell assists)	23-31
19:30		Trevin Knell personal foul
19:20	+3	Simas Lukošius makes three point jump shot (Dillon Mitchell assists)	26-31
19:11	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	26-34
19:11		Dan Skillings Jr. personal foul
19:03		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass)
18:46		Dan Skillings Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Trevin Knell steals)
18:42		Jizzle James shooting foul (Mawot Mag draws the foul)
18:42		Mawot Mag misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:42	+1	Mawot Mag makes regular free throw 2 of 2	26-35
18:18		Simas Lukošius misses three point jump shot
18:16		Trevin Knell defensive rebound
18:03	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Keba Keita assists)	26-38
18:00		Bearcats 30 second timeout
18:00		TV timeout
17:31	+2	Simas Lukošius makes two point jump shot (Jizzle James assists)	28-38
17:14	+2	Keba Keita makes two point dunk (Egor Demin assists)	28-40
16:59		Jizzle James misses three point jump shot
16:57		Cougars defensive rebound
16:35	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point layup (Egor Demin assists)	28-42
16:11		Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot
16:09		Simas Lukošius offensive rebound
15:51		Simas Lukošius misses three point jump shot
15:49		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
15:26		Jizzle James personal foul (Mawot Mag draws the foul)
15:26		TV timeout
15:24		Tyler Betsey personal foul
15:15		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
15:14		Cougars offensive rebound
15:11	+3	Trevin Knell makes three point jump shot (Richie Saunders assists)	28-45
14:43		Jump ball. Arrinten Page vs. Trevin Knell (Bearcats gains possession)
14:41		Keba Keita shooting foul (Arrinten Page draws the foul)
14:41	+1	Arrinten Page makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-45
14:41		Arrinten Page misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:41		Keba Keita defensive rebound
14:29		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
14:27		Keba Keita offensive rebound
14:25		Keba Keita turnover (lost ball) (Dillon Mitchell steals)
14:17	+2	Dillon Mitchell makes two point layup	31-45
14:01		Mawot Mag turnover (lost ball)
13:36	+2	Tyler Betsey makes two point layup	33-45
13:20	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup (Egor Demin assists)	33-47
12:59		Arrinten Page misses three point jump shot
12:57		Egor Demin defensive rebound
12:34		Dillon Mitchell personal foul (Egor Demin draws the foul)
12:22		Fousseyni Traore offensive foul
12:22		Fousseyni Traore turnover (offensive foul)
11:56		Tyler Betsey misses three point jump shot
11:54		Arrinten Page offensive rebound
11:52	+2	Arrinten Page makes two point dunk	35-47
11:35	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Fousseyni Traore assists)	35-50
11:21		Fousseyni Traore personal foul
11:21		TV timeout
11:14		Josh Reed misses three point jump shot
11:11		Cougars defensive rebound
10:52	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Fousseyni Traore assists)	35-53
10:32		Tyler Betsey misses three point jump shot
10:30		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
10:19		Richie Saunders misses two point jump shot
10:17		Arrinten Page defensive rebound
10:03	+2	Jizzle James makes two point jump shot	37-53
9:55		Josh Reed personal foul (Dawson Baker draws the foul)
9:45	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)	37-55
9:32		Arrinten Page misses two point hook shot
9:30		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
9:24		Mawot Mag turnover (lost ball) (Jizzle James steals)
9:18	+3	Simas Lukošius makes three point jump shot (Jizzle James assists)	40-55
9:05	+3	Kanon Catchings makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)	40-58
8:42	+2	Arrinten Page makes two point hook shot (Jizzle James assists)	42-58
8:22		Dallin Hall turnover (lost ball) (Day Day Thomas steals)
8:16		Day Day Thomas misses two point layup
8:14		Dawson Baker defensive rebound
8:08	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point jump shot	42-60
8:04		Bearcats 60 second timeout
8:04		TV timeout
7:57	+2	Dillon Mitchell makes two point dunk (Jizzle James assists)	44-60
7:41	+3	Kanon Catchings makes three point jump shot (Dawson Baker assists)	44-63
7:29		Jizzle James misses two point jump shot
7:27		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
7:03	+3	Dawson Baker makes three point jump shot	44-66
6:43		Simas Lukošius turnover (bad pass) (Mawot Mag steals)
6:26		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
6:24		Jizzle James defensive rebound
6:13		Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot
6:11		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
6:05		Keba Keita turnover (lost ball)
5:50		Tyler Betsey misses three point jump shot
5:48		Cougars defensive rebound
5:18		Keba Keita misses two point jump shot
5:16		Dillon Mitchell defensive rebound
5:03		Dawson Baker shooting foul (Dillon Mitchell draws the foul)
5:02		Dillon Mitchell misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:02		Dillon Mitchell misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:02		Egor Demin defensive rebound
4:37		Dan Skillings Jr. personal foul (Egor Demin draws the foul)
4:37	+1	Egor Demin makes regular free throw 1 of 2	44-67
4:37	+1	Egor Demin makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-68
4:19	+2	Jizzle James makes two point jump shot	46-68
4:10		Keba Keita turnover (bad pass)
3:56		Jizzle James misses three point jump shot
3:54		Keba Keita defensive rebound
3:26	+3	Egor Demin makes three point jump shot	46-71
3:06		Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot
3:04		Dallin Hall defensive rebound
2:55		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
2:53		Arrinten Page defensive rebound
2:36		Arrinten Page turnover (Trevin Knell steals)
2:14		Dan Skillings Jr. shooting foul (Egor Demin draws the foul)
2:14		TV timeout
2:14	+1	Egor Demin makes regular free throw 1 of 3	46-72
2:14	+1	Egor Demin makes regular free throw 2 of 3	46-73
2:14		Egor Demin misses regular free throw 2 of 3
2:14		Dillon Mitchell defensive rebound
1:50	+2	Rayvon Griffith makes two point jump shot (Arrinten Page assists)	48-73
1:30		Arrinten Page shooting foul (Richie Saunders draws the foul)
1:30	+1	Richie Saunders makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-74
1:30	+1	Richie Saunders makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-75
1:09	+2	Arrinten Page makes two point layup	50-75
0:45	+2	Elijah Crawford makes two point jump shot	50-77
0:33		Rayvon Griffith misses three point jump shot
0:31		Jizzle James offensive rebound
0:21	+2	Rayvon Griffith makes two point layup	52-77
0:01	+3	Elijah Crawford makes three point jump shot	52-80
0:01		Official timeout
0:00		End of period

+ 3

Elijah Crawford makes three point jump shot