Make that back-to-back convincing conference wins for BYU .
The Cougars routed Cincinnati 80-52 Saturday night at the Marriott Center in Provo, moving to 13-6 on the season and 4-4 against Big 12 competition.
BYU bested Cincinnati's elite defense.Going into the matchup, the Bearcats had held opponents to just a 28% shooting clip from 3-point range as KenPom's No. 9-ranked overall defensive unit in the country.
None of this fazed the Cougars. BYU shot 57.1% from the field and a sizzling 62.5% from distance, marking the program's best deep shooting show since 2021.
The Cougars dished out 18 total assists and averaged 1.33 points per possession, with five different players posting at least eight points.
In the second half alone, Kevin Young's squad went 11 of 15 from behind the arc. Yes, you read that correctly — BYU made 11 of 15 3-pointers in a single half.
Considering the competition, it definitely qualifies as one of best offensive outings in recent program history, and perhaps ever.
Richie Saunders continued his All-Big 12 campaign.Saunders provided a game-high 21 points, marking his fifth 20+-point showing of the season.
He hit five 3-pointers — he's now shooting 50% from distance in league play — and added five rebounds along with his typical relentless defensive effort.
Having scored 46 points in the past two games, Saunders makes a compelling case for Big 12 Player of the Week honors, and more importantly, continues to stuff his resumé for some sort of end of season all-conference recognition.
Egor Demin enjoyed his best performance of conference play.No one is more important to this Cougars team than their freshman phenom, whose performance usually dictates how BYU fares each night.
Therefore, it should surprise no one that Demin played a central role in Saturday's thrashing of the Bearcats. He posted 15 points — his most against any Big 12 opponent — while adding five boards and seven assists.
As the Cougars have pushed the tempo offensively, Demin has flourished, appearing much more confident in both his shooting and playmaking abilities.
The difference is staggering. When Demin is at his best, the Cougars are a beast to compete against. Saunders has been the team's best and most consistent player thus far, but Demin is clearly its most valuable.
If he continues this upward trend, BYU should find itself with a ticket to the Big Dance in March.
