No BYU vs No 6 LMU Box Score
Post-match notes No. BYU vs. No. 6 LMU
Photo Gallery No. 3 BYU vs No 6
LAS VEGAS – Behind Eric Mika’s 25 issues and Nick Emery’s 21, the NO. The third seed in BYU men’s basketball beat sixth seed Loyola Marymount 89-81 in the quarter-finals of the West Coast Conference Basketball Championship at Orleans Arena on Saturday.
“It’s a very difficult game,” SAID BYU head coach Dave Rose. “Both organizations were comfortable and confident. But I think I’m the proudest of our boys for answering their errands. We were a little ahead and they came back to us and we were able to respond every single time, and that’s the sign of a team playing a lot in combination as an organization and working well. We look to the next round. “
Driven through 3 consecutive 3-point baskets on 3 field trips, the Cougars finished the game with a 9-2 race. LMU responded with a career of its own to take the Lions to less than 3,11-8, while Brandon Brown missed a three-pointer.
After the Cougars took a six-point 16-10 lead, the Lions with a 9-1 run took their first advantage of the game, 19-17, at 12:23 in the first half.
LMU raised its merit to five, 26-21, before Mika buried a couple of loose shots to give BYU its first problems in more than five minutes of play. In Cougar’s next possession, Mika tied the game at 26, while in the second round the WCC first-team converter switched to a 3-point play.
At 6:26 to pass in half, Yoeli Childs discovered that Mika cut the ball for a turn to give BYU a 34-30 four-point lead. After LMU hit a one-point game with 51 seconds to play, four consecutive Childs issues gave BYU the lead. Cougars has a 42-38 advantage at half-time.
The Lions temporarily scored four break problems to tie the game to 42, before Emery approached with a triple. Mika then scored six consecutive Cougars to force time out of LMU.
At 3 at 15:55, TJ Haws extended BYU’s lead to seven, 56-49. Elijah Bryant then ended up in the lane to increase the lead to nine.
BYU continued to have good luck on the offensive, recording a 14-point lead at 65-51 with 12:52 on the clock. The Lions responded effortlessly across the area to shoot at seven, 69-62, while Buay Tuach finished a Cougar roll off. .
LMU continued his career, scoring five consecutive points to turn it into a two-point 69-67 game with 6:36 for playing. After a pair of 1 by 2 to the loose firing line for the Cougars, a Davin Guinn flight followed a Mika cube, stopped LMU’s momentum and gave BYU a 73-67 lead.
In 1:44, Emery made two to give BYU an 81-74 lead. In the next possession, the Lions tired of a three-point basket to take them back to four, 81-77.
Haws closed the game with six consecutive single shots to secure an 89-81 win.
BYU men’s basketball advances to the semi-finals of the CMC Championships and will face No. 2 Seed Saint Mary’s or No. 10 Portland on Monday, March 6 in the semi-finals.