Richie Saunders recorded 23 points and five assists and Fousseyni Traore added 15 points to help No. 17 Byu to produce a victory 96-92 over No. 12 Iowa State on Thursday to reach the semi-finals in Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Mo.
Trevor Knell made all four 3-point attempts while he scored 14 points as fourth-seeded byu (24-8) won his ninth straight match. Mihailo Boskovic added 10 points for Cougars, who will meet either top seeds Houston or 16th Seeded Colorado in Friday’s Semis.
Curtis Jones sank a career best seven Treys and got 31 points for the fifth seeded cyclones. Milan Momcilovic added 18 points and Joshua Jefferson and Dishon Jackson got 14 points per piece for Iowa State, who lost to Cougars for the second time in ten days.
The two troops combined for a BIG 12 tournament record 31 3-point-byu made 18 out of 36 while the cyclones hit 13 out of 30. The old record was 27.
Iowa State played without Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert due to groin injuries.
The cyclones shot 56.1 percent from the field, but only tried seven free throwing (to make five).
Cougars were 18 out of 21 from the line and made 51.7 percent of its field target attempts.
Byu led 89-84 after two free throw by Saunders with 3:09.
Momcilovic drove the baseline for a bow and Jones met two free throw to bring Iowa State within one with 1:15 to play.
Saunders then dropped a 3-pointer with 48.9 seconds left to give Cougars a lead of 92-88.
Saunders then blocked Momcilovic’s 3-point attempt with 38 seconds left and Byu soon pressed the lead to six while they closed it out.
The cyclones led 72-64 after Jackson’s layout with 12:46 left before Byu got 11 straight points. Dallin Hall made a 3-pointer and Traore did in the interior before Boskovic buried two three to give Cougars a lead of 75-72 with 9:41 to play.
Nate Heise made a binding of 3-pointer for the cyclones with 9:19 left in the competition.
Both teams broke down 10 3-points in a high octane first half which ended with Iowa State having a lead of 53-49.
Jones made six Treys in a range of 3:54 and got 22 points during the first half. Knell and Traore each got an 11 in half for Cougars.
Byu checked the first eight minutes and held a 25-15 lead after Dawson Baker’s 3-pointer.
Cyclones received 31 of the next 43 points to take a nine -point advantage.
Iowa State led 49-39 after a 3-pointer by Momcilovic with 3:08 left.
-Field level media
