The following notes are from BYU's 78-65 win over Portland on Saturday, January 22, 2022, at the Marriott Center.
ALL-TIME SERIES RESULTS: BYU leads 25-2
TEAM NOTES
First Half
Portland maintained a lead throughout most of the first half, with BYU tying the score at 20-20 with just over seven minutes left. The teams traded points with Portland gaining a one-point lead until back-to-back three pointers from Seneca Knight gave the Cougars a lead and finished the half with the score at 39-34.
The Cougars shot 53.3% from the field and 43.8% from behind the arc, while Portland shot 45.2% from the field and 46.2% from behind the arc.
Second Half
BYU held onto their lead through the second half. The Cougars went on a 14-1 run with just one minute left in the game, giving them a 20-point lead at 78-58. Portland put down seven points in the final minute, but the Cougars pulled away with a 78-65 win. Traore led BYU with nine points in the half, while Barcello put down seven points and Atiki Ally Atiki and Lohner both added six.
The Cougars shot 46.7% from the field and 36.4% from three-point land in the second half, while Portland shot 41.7% from the field and just 20% from behind the arc.
Shooting and 3-Pointers
BYU shot a blistering 50% from the field and 40.7% from deep, knocking down 11 treys in the game. The Cougars have now shot 50% or better from the field four times this season, and 40% or better from beyond the arc in 10 games.
PLAYER NOTES
Te’Jon Lucas
Lucas scored 15 of BYU’s 39 points in the first half. The senior guard finished with 16 points on 3-5 from downtown, also dishing seven assists and recording two steals.
Seneca Knight
The junior forward added 14 points off the bench, shooting 4-9 from long range. It is his second-straight game with 14 points, and third time scoring a season-high of 14 this season.
Caleb Lohner
Lohner contributed 13 points and five rebounds off the bench, including a crowd-raising dunk off a Lucas assist to put the Cougars up 10 midway through the second half. It is his sixth game scoring in double figures this season.
Fousseyni Traore
Starting in his seventh-consecutive game, the freshman forward tallied 13 points while also grabbing 10 boards, recording his fourth career double-double and second in as many games. The birthday boy also went 6-of-6 from the field, 1-of-1 from the free throw line, and added a career-high four assists and one block.
Notable career highs/career firsts
Career-high blocks: Atiki Ally Atiki (3)
Career-high assists: Fousseyni Traore (4)
COACH AND PLAYER QUOTES
Junior forward Seneca Knight
On the win over Portland
"This was a great game, a great win for us. We went out there and had fun. We had each others' backs out there tonight. We know there's going to be frustration every game, but we have to go out there and get the job done and have fun doing it."
On his role with the team and 3-point shooting tonight
"I passed on a 3-pointer earlier and then my teammates came to me and told me to keep shooting. It felt great to know that my teammates believe in me and that I was able to give them a spark and fulfill what they were asking me to do. I try to fill voids. Whether that's scoring, rebounding or defending."
BYU head coach Mark Pope
On the ROC's impact on the game
"That's the student section! That's the magic of playing in the Marriott Center. The students have been great for us all season. There's 6,000 students and they're on it and they care. Where is there a basketball environment with a student section like that? I don't think there is one. The ROC had a huge impact on the game, there were times in the second half where they bailed us out."
On Portland
"This is a good Portland team. Shantay (Legans) is a good coach. They really shot it well tonight and they're dangerous. They can do some damage in this league. "
On the team's performance and contribution from the bench
"Our goal tonight was to touch the paint. Fouss and Atiki were unbelievable at managing all the defenders they put in the post. Alex and Te'Jon were unbelievable playing off two feet and finding Seneca Knight for three-point shots."
"Seneca's defensive numbers are off the charts for us right now. He's making a huge impact for us. So are Gideon George and Spencer Johnson. Johnson's not putting up big numbers right now but he's so impactful on the court. He's a good ball-mover and he'll bang 3-pointers when he needs to. His work defensively is such a gift to our team because he goes out there and disrupts everything."
On honoring the 1980-81 Elite Eight Team
"A bunch of those guys came to shoot-around today and we had a dinner for them before the game. I never break my pregame routine, but I did to go see them for five minutes before the game tonight. We take it for granted. This is the greatest, most accomplished team to ever compete for BYU men's basketball. When I walked into that dinner tonight and spoke to those guys, I felt really humbled. These are great men, great families, great coaches, and players that did something that has never been replicated since at BYU. They built this generational love for this university. Those guys essentially built the Marriott Center. I feel a lot of humility and gratitude toward them coupled with a lot of hunger. My last comment to them was that 'we've got to find a way to take them off the board as the most accomplished team at BYU."