It seems like ages since Providence and Houston bullied Kevin Young's BYU team around the basketball court like rag dolls.
But now, late in February, BYU (19-8, 10-6) is giving as much or more than they're taking. They now head to a game at Arizona State in Tempe on Wednesday with some impressive momentum.
The team that boat-raced Kansas last week and took down Arizona in the McKale Center Saturday is a grown-up Big 12 menace, peaking at the right time to make some noise as teams fight for seeding for the league tournament in Kansas City in March.
How big was BYU's win over Arizona in Tucson? Only No. 3 Duke and No. 5 Houston have pulled that off this year.
This was BYU's first back-to-back win over top-25 teams since 1988 — 37 years.
After beating No. 23 Kansas and No. 19 Arizona, the Cougars are alone in fifth place, behind No. 5 Houston, No. 9 Texas Tech, No. 19 Arizona and No. 8 Iowa State. They are just ahead of No. 6 Kansas, which is ranked No. 23. In this matrix, BYU is the only team not ranked.
Maybe that will change this week.
BYU just faced two of Ken Pomeroy's top 10 defenses and scored 187 points in five days.
Unlike in their previous game against Arizona in Provo, the Cougars did not experience an over-five-minute scoring drought after battling toe-to-toe for 32 minutes.
This time, BYU closed it out, even with Arizona scoring nine of their last 12 points from the free-throw line — getting calls, making free throws — and essentially staying in the game on whistles because they were losing trading field goals with Young's team.
This time the Cougars scored early, scored late, rained down 14 bombs and got a call of their own with 3.2 seconds left, wherein Richie Saunders buried the winning free throws.
This free-throw proficiency is a big deal, making 10 of 14 at Arizona, including the clinchers at the end.
BYU lost to Utah in the Huntsman Center on missed free throws. At least three other games could be chalked up to choking at the line.
But Saunders stood at the line with everything counting on his two shots despite pressure, emotion and a hostile road crowd screaming.
He responded. He looked like an accountant ready to sign a tax form, but shot like a sniper.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd told the media BYU got key plays from Young's role players.
That astute observation was the reality in his McKale Center.
Folks wondered where freshman Kanon Catchings was when his teammates were wailing on Kansas last Tuesday — he barely played. On this night he played 15 minutes, scored 14 and buried 4 of 6 timely, momentum-fueling shots from beyond the arc.
Mawot Mag, a 6-foot-7 defensive harasser, hit two key 3-point shots.
Dawson Baker hit all three of his shots from the field in six minutes of playing time, including his only attempt from beyond the arc. Trey Stewart made a 3-pointer.
Trevin Knell made 2 of his 4 shots from distance and freshman Egor Demin had eight assists. He was just 1 for 5 from beyond the arc, but that one make was from the Arizona logo near midcourt.
Of course, Saunders, playing the most minutes of any Cougar and the only one playing more than 30, was a near-perfect 8 of 10 from the field, 3 of 4 from 3-point land.
Keba Keita was perfect, going 5 for 5 from the field for his 10.
These are just numbers. So is BYU's impressive 55% shooting from the field, 45.2% from beyond the arc. But they were the mortar that kept stacking up challenges for the Wildcats' defense and when 10 BYU players scored, it was a challenge a No. 19 team couldn't stop — even in their stout home environment.
That call that went Saunders' way at the end?
Lloyd said the other 39 minutes and 56 seconds had more to do with his team's loss to BYU.
"But step back," Lloyd said. "They scored (94) points up to that point on our home court. That's the problem. That's the problem. Me and my staff and our players, that's the problem, not the officials. It would have been great to steal a victory if they didn't call that, but still, don't put yourself in that position."
Lloyd said he's been playing against BYU for years and said he knew Young's more mature players would respond to the previous loss.
"They beat us today. They made some better adjustments than we did. Their coach did a great job. Their players played with more urgency. Congrats to BYU."
Wildcatauthority.com editor Jason Sheer could see the Arizona issue clearly when he posted on X during the game why Lloyd's team couldn't shake the Cougars.
"I said all week that the 3-point shot changes everything. BYU is unreal from behind the arc tonight. Arizona is getting whatever it wants on offense and it doesn't matter because BYU is shooting 14-30 from three."
But there were other threads to this game, woven between BYU's prowess from outside.
The Cougar bench outscored Arizona 30-23. These Cougars are deep and bring fresh legs to the fray.
BYU outscored Arizona 19-15 on second-chance points. That is a physical fight matrix and Young has flipped the switch on that since his team's loss at Cincinnati.
BYU outscored Arizona 22 to 10 off turnovers. That is hustle.
The Cougars also converted a remarkable percentage of possessions off out-of-bounds plays. That's coaching and execution.
No. This is a far more mentally tough team than we saw get slapped around at Providence.
These guys have grown up and matured and are on a mission to matter.
BYU center Fousseyni Traore (45) is fouled by Arizona forward Henri Veesaar during game, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Tucson, Ariz. | Rick Scuteri, Associated Press
