PROVO -- Playing without two key players, BYU got big performances from Austin Ainge and Trent Plaisted leading to an 80-67 victory over Wyoming Wednesday night in the Marriott Center. The win marks BYU's eighth straight home victory.
The Cougars, now 10-5 (2-2, MWC) were without the services of Rashaun Broadus and Derek Dawes. Broadus, who was suspended for violating team rules, had started every game for BYU this year prior to the Wyoming game while Dawes sat out due to an injury suffered at UNLV.
Ainge started his second game of the season and his first game at point guard and scored 12 points while adding two assists. Wyoming head coach Steve McClain isn't surprised that Ainge had a big game.
"Austin Ainge was All-Conference last year," he said. "I told our kids before the game that he would probably come out and show he should be the starting point guard."
Plaisted scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed eight boards. Keena Young also came up big, tying his career high with 16 points and picking up six rebounds. BYU head coach Dave Rose was happy with the way his team played.
"I'm proud of the way our guys came together," he said. "Each night the team that executes and has the most energy wins."
Defense prevailed early in the game with the two teams combining for just one point in the first 2:33. The Cowboys' (10-8, 3-2 MWC) Justin Williams had two early blocked shots, but BYU's Cummard came up with two steals that turned into five Cougar points.
Offensively, each team settled in with BYU maintaining a 16-13 lead with 11:54 remaining. The two teams matched baskets with the Cougars getting hustle baskets from Keena Young, who scored four early points courtesy of two offensive rebounds in his first six minutes of play.
Using the three-ball, Wyoming retook the lead 28-25 when Brandon Ewing hit consecutive triples. Ainge responded with a three of his own to tie the game as the Cougars retook the lead and clung to a 32-31 advantage with under four minutes to play in the first half.
Ewing made a last second drive to the hoop to end the half, dropping in a floater to give the Cowboys a 38-36 halftime lead. Wyoming entered the game shooting 43 percent from the field. The Cowboys shot 52 percent in the first half while the Cougars managed only 40 percent shooting compared to its 48 percent season mark.
BYU was led in the first half by Cummard, who picked up his career high in the first half by scoring 11.
Sparked by Ainge, the Cougars came out running in the second half, jumping out of the gates with a 13-3 run to pick up a 49-41 lead. Ainge knocked down a three and a coast-to-coast layup to force a Wyoming timeout.
"The key to winning the game was the first eight minutes of the second half," Rose said.
BYU's run continued as the Cougar defense stymied the Cowboys. Wyoming missed 13 of its first 14 shots in the second half while BYU made nine of its first 15. The Cougars held the Cowboys scoreless for 6:30, a streak that ended with a free throw. Wyoming went without a field goal for almost nine minutes. BYU held the Cowboys to just 26 percent shooting in the second half.
The Cougars built a 15-point lead midway through the second half and maintained the double-digit lead throughout much of the second half until, benefiting from free throws and a full-court press, the Cowboys cut the lead to eight with 3:53 left in the game.
Wyoming maintained its pressure, cutting the BYU lead to 68-61 with 1:27 remaining in the game. The Cowboys would get no closer as the Cougars beat the break and made foul shots down the stretch.
BYU will travel to San Diego Saturday to take on the first-place Aztecs. Tip time is 7 p.m. (PDT).
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
Wyoming Cowboys vs BYU Cougars
1-18-06 7:07 p.m. at Marriott Center, Provo, Utah
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VISITORS: Wyoming Cowboys 10-8,3-2
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
02 WILLIAMS, Justin.... f 7-11 0-0 7-9 4 9 13 1 21 0 3 7 1 32
05 LEWIS, Kevin........ f 1-5 0-3 0-0 1 3 4 2 2 2 1 1 0 23
15 LEVEN, Steve........ f 4-15 2-8 2-3 0 0 0 5 12 0 2 1 0 32
54 WABBINGTON, Derek... c 1-3 0-0 1-3 1 0 1 2 3 2 2 1 0 19
23 EWING, Brandon...... g 7-14 2-5 5-6 0 4 4 2 21 4 4 0 0 36
01 JONES, Brad......... 0-1 0-0 2-4 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 0 2 18
14 EBERT, James........ 1-4 0-1 0-0 1 0 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 10
34 ANDERSON, Chris..... 1-1 0-0 1-2 2 2 4 4 3 0 0 0 0 13
40 BROWN, Daaron....... 0-4 0-0 1-2 2 2 4 3 1 0 1 0 0 17
50 BOSWELL, Jarrod..... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+
TEAM................ 2 3 5
Totals.............. 22-58 4-17 19-29 14 24 38 24 67 10 16 10 3 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 14-27 51.9% 2nd Half: 8-31 25.8% Game: 37.9% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 4-7 57.1% 2nd Half: 0-10 0.0% Game: 23.5% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 6-10 60.0% 2nd Half: 13-19 68.4% Game: 65.5% 3
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HOME TEAM: BYU Cougars 10-5,2-2
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
15 MALAMAN, Fernando... f 2-8 1-2 3-4 2 6 8 3 8 0 2 0 1 24
30 CUMMARD, Lee........ f 5-8 0-3 3-3 0 2 2 2 13 4 2 1 3 27
44 PLAISTED, Trent..... c 7-13 0-0 3-4 1 7 8 5 17 0 4 0 0 31
11 REICHNER, Brock..... g 1-6 0-3 8-9 1 2 3 3 10 3 0 1 0 26
13 AINGE, Austin....... g 5-11 2-5 0-0 0 3 3 3 12 2 3 0 2 32
02 ROSE, Mike.......... 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 8
03 YOUNG, Keena........ 5-8 0-0 6-7 3 3 6 1 16 1 0 1 0 25
04 EMERY, Jackson...... 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 8
23 BALDERSON, Jimmy.... 1-4 0-1 2-2 4 1 5 3 4 3 0 0 1 19
TEAM................ 3 3 6
Totals.............. 26-62 3-15 25-29 14 29 43 22 80 14 12 5 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 14-35 40.0% 2nd Half: 12-27 44.4% Game: 41.9% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-9 22.2% 2nd Half: 1-6 16.7% Game: 20.0% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 6-8 75.0% 2nd Half: 19-21 90.5% Game: 86.2% 2
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Officials: Bob Staffen, Bill Gracey, Mike Giarratano
Technical fouls: Wyoming Cowboys-TEAM. BYU Cougars-None.
Attendance: 9979
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Wyoming Cowboys............... 38 29 - 67
BYU Cougars................... 36 44 - 80
Points in the paint-WY 28,BY 42. Points off turnovers-WY 8,BY 21.
2nd chance points-WY 12,BY 10. Fast break points-WY 2,BY 14.
Bench points-WY 8,BY 20. Score tied-7 times. Lead changes-11 times.