BYU Basketball Upset By South Dakota At Vivint Arena

SALT LAKE CITY – BYU basketball suffers a shocking 69-68 loss to South Dakota at Vivint Arena. It’s the first loss at Vivint for BYU since 2007, when they lost to Michigan State.

#BYU had a chance. Cougars fall at Vivint Arena to South Dakota, 69-68.#BYUHoops pic.twitter.com/iFVgEiaoNe

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 3, 2022

South Dakota got up by as much as 21 points before BYU made a run to get back in the game. The Coyotes finished the last 10 minutes of action without a field goal.

South Dakota gets hot in the first half

• 20:00 – BYU is without two key starters Spencer Johnson (knee), for the third consecutive game. And they still are without Trevin Knell.
• 18:06 – Rudi Williams with a nice move off the dribble to the hoop, giving BYU its first lead of the game. BYU 6, South Dakota 5
• 17:45 – South Dakota star A.J. Plitzuweit checked into the game. He missed the last two contests with a knee injury. Was seen wearing a brace on his left knee.

#BYU facing a South Dakota team with its star AJ Plitzuweit back from injury after missing the last two games. Wearing a knee brace. #BYUHoops

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 3, 2022

• 16:52 – Reserves Trey Stewart and Richie Saunders get some early run, with Gideon George picking up two fouls. USD 7, BYU 6
• 15:27 – South Dakota has missed its last five field goals, but BYU hasn’t created much separation. BYU 8, USD 7
• 11:57 – BYU has a lineup on the floor of Dallin Hall, Richie Saunders, Tanner Toolson, Noah Waterman, and Atiki Ally Atiki. With this lineup, who will lead the charge on the offensive end for BYU? BYU 12, USD 12
• 11:37 – Plitzuweit buries a three to put the Yotes back in front. USD 15, BYU 12
• 10:33 – BYU is 0-for-7 from three after a record-setting performance here at Vivint against Westminster. USD 16, BYU 14

Excellent effort from Noah Waterman to try and save the ball inbounds. Dove into the South Dakota bench. #BYU #BYUHoops

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 3, 2022

• 9:50 – The effort from Noah Waterman to try and save a loose ball was impressive. Waterman dove into the South Dakota bench. USD 16, BYU 14
• 8:45 – Yotes are starting to believe they can pull an upset. USD 21, BYU 14
• 8:25 – Fousseyni Traore knocks down a layup to end the Yotes run. Before Traore’s make, BYU had only knocked down one field goal in its previous seven attempts. USD 21, BYU 16
• 6:52 – The Yotes built up an 11-point lead. USD 27, BYU 16
• 5:27 – South Dakota’s Kruz Perrott-Hunt buries a three to put the Yotes at a game-high lead of 14. USD 32, BYU 18

Jaxson Robinson knocks down #BYU's first three of the game with 3:45 remaining in the half.

BYU had missed its first 12 three-point attempts.#BYUHoops

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 3, 2022

• 3:45 – Jaxson Robinson knocks down BYU’s first three-point make of the game. The Cougars missed their first 12 attempts. USD 32, BYU 21

After #BYU hit its first three of the game, South Dakota knocked down back-to-back three-pointers. Cougs trail 38-21 at the last media timeout of the first half.#BYUHoops

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 3, 2022

• 2:46 – The Coyotes reeled off a 6-0 run after Robinson’s made three. USD 38, BYU 21
• 0.0 – USD 40, BYU 25

Notable Halftime Stats

• South Dakota is shooting 62% from three in the first half. The Yotes knocked down eight of their 13 attempts. BYU was an abysmal 7% from distance, going 1-of-14.
• BYU was outrebounded by USD in the first half, 21-17. Despite being an undersized team, BYU has only been outrebounded by two opponents this season (San Diego State and Westminster).
• Two players from South Dakota are in double figures at the break. Kruz Perrott-Hunt leads the way with a game-high 15 points and guard Paul Bruns has 10. BYU’s leading scorer is Fousseyni Traore with eight.
• One positive for BYU is turnovers. The Cougars have only committed five turnovers to South Dakota’s six.
• According to ESPN’s win probability metrics, South Dakota has an 86.4% win probability at the break.

BYU makes a run but comes up short

• 18:50 – BYU scores the first four points of the half and the crowd starts to come alive. USD 40, BYU 25
• 18:32 – Tasos Kamateros hits a three to keep the crowd in a daze. USD 43, BYU 25
• 16:56 – Richie Saunders commits his fourth foul of the game. USD 47, BYU 29
• 15:00 – BYU begins incorporating some full-court pressure and it leads to back-to-back three-pointers from Dallin Hall and Gideon George. USD calls a timeout as the crowd begins getting loud. USD 49, BYU 35
• 12:49 – USD’s Kruz Perrott-Hunt knocked down a three that once again kept BYU at bay as they try to mount a comeback. USD 54, BYU 37

Mark Pope not happy with the refs after Noah Waterman was called for a charge. Fans here at Vivint felt it was a flop.#BYU #BYUHoops pic.twitter.com/goFy5iJwGY

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 3, 2022

• 11:56 – Refs called a charge on Noah Waterman that fired up the Vivint Arena crowd of BYU fans. Fans wanted a flop called. Mark Pope wasn’t happy either. USD 54, BYU 37
• 8:52 – Refs are making their presence felt in this second half with 13 fouls already called. USD 60, BYU 42
• 8:49 – Noah Waterman knocks down a three. BYU keeps fighting, looking to get out on a run. USD 60, BYU 45
• 7:51 – South Dakota called for a goal tend on a Dallin Hall layup attempt. USD 60, BYU 47

That point blank range shot by Fouss felt like a big miss.

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 3, 2022

• 7:13 – Traore missed a point-blank range shot at the hoop. Would have cut the deficit down to 11. Felt like a big miss.
• 7:08 – Gideon George fouled out of the game. USD 60, BYU 47
• 6:45 – Waterman buries another corner three. USD coach Peterson burns a timeout. BYU cuts the deficit to 10. USD 60, BYU 50
• 6:31 – South Dakota’s Perrott-Hunt was called for a dead ball contact foul, which resulted in a technical. It sent Dallin Hall to the foul line for two free throws. He made one of the two. USD 60, BYU 51
• 6:20 – USD’s Paul Burns knocks down two free throws to end BYU’s 12-o run. USD 62, BYU 51
• 4:19 – Dallin Hall missed the front end of a one-and-one. South Dakota hasn’t made a field goal in the last 5:49 of action. USD 64, BYU 53
• 2:56 – Trey Stewart steals the ball from Plitzuweit for a fastbreak layup. South Dakota’s field goal drought has reached seven minutes. USD 64, BYU 55

#BYU fans are not happy with these refs. pic.twitter.com/DF1K2K3uwG

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 3, 2022

• 2:06 – Referees called a foul on Dallin Hall when the instant replay appeared to show the South Dakota ballhandler fell on his own. BYU coach Mark Pope and the fans in attendance wanted a travel call. USD 65, BYU 57
• 1:19 – Pitzuweit called for an offensive foul. He extended his arm towards Dallin Hall to create separation. USD 67, BYU 59
• 1:10 – Rudi Williams knocks down a corner three. Slowly but surely, BYU keeps chipping away at this thing. Rudi Williams now has a season-high 18 points. USD 67, BYU 62
• 23.2 – Traore knocks down two free throws to make it a one-possession game. USD 67, BYU 64
• 18.2 – Refs call a foul on Dallin Hall. Mark Pope didn’t like it. South Dakota then knocks down two free throws. USD 69, BYU 64
• 11.8 – Dallin Hall hits a layup for an and-one opportunity. He missed the free throw USD 69, BYU 66
• 9.6 – BYU’s full court pressure forces South Dakota to commit a turnover. The turnover goes under review. BYU ball
• 6.4 – Bruns misses two free throws. BYU then goes on the move with no timeouts remaining. Rudi Williams rises up with a three and misses. South Dakota pulls off the upset.

Final: South Dakota 69, BYU 68

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch and his BYU basketball coverage on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.

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