BYU Falls In Top 25 Showdown Against Texas Tech At Big 12 Tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo.- BYU basketball will now turn its attention to the NCAA Tournament after losing to Texas Tech wire-to-wire in the Quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.

The hot shooting that carried BYU in their win over UCF on Wednesday did not show up in a revenge opportunity against Texas Tech.

BYU only shot 20% from three-point range as the Red Raiders cruised to a 81-67 win over the Cougars.

It’s the second victory in as many tries this season for Texas Tech against BYU.

The only smiles BYU experienced during Thursday’s setback was in the pregame when BYU alum, Super Bowl Champion coach Andy Reid showed up courtside to support his alma mater.

BYU’s leading scorer was Jaxson Robinson, who scored 18 points on 6-18 shooting from the field.

Texas Tech guard Pop Isaacs had another big outing against BYU. The Third Team All-Big 12 guard scored 22 points and was 9-19 from the field.

First Half: Texas Tech dealt BYU its biggest halftime deficit of the season

15:55 – BYU got off to a slow start. The Red Raiders knocked down 80% of their field goal attempts in the first four minutes.

BYU’s only field goal was made on a highly contested back-to-the-basket layup.

Tough start for #BYU. Texas Tech comes out and is shooting 80% from the field. #BYUHoops #Big12

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 14, 2024

Texas Tech guard Darrion Williams experienced some pain in his left ankle. Texas Tech 12, BYU 2.

11:56—As he did in Lubbock in January, guard Pop Isaacs started to fill it up. He had already scored seven points at the under-12 timeout. Tech also had three offensive rebounds, scoring six points on second-chance opportunities. Texas Tech 22, BYU 11.

7:44 – Darrion Williams returned to the game for Texas Tech. Both teams stalled offensively with the personnel lineups they had on the floor.

Pop Isaacs was resting for Tech and BYU’s Dallin Hall was getting a breather.

BYU was struggling to hit shots. The red-hot Cougars cooled off through their first 10 3-point attempts against the Red Raiders, only hitting 30%. Texas Tech 27, BYU 14.

3:43 – Texas Tech went on a 12-1 run. Despite Warren Washington being out for the Red Raiders, rebounding has been a problem for BYU. Tech extended its lead into the 20s after an offensive rebound tipped ball went to Kerwin Walton from the top of the arc for a wide-open three. Texas Tech 37, BYU 15.

Texas Tech – 37
BYU – 15

3:43 | 1st Half pic.twitter.com/QayFOoDbR2

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 14, 2024

1:58 – BYU center Aly Khalifa left the game and entered the tunnel. He took off his shoes as he walked back. Khalifa returned minutes later and was on the bench with his teammates.

It was a difficult day for BYU, and no play embodied that more than Spencer Johnson dribbling the ball upcourt casually; a Tech defender came up from behind and stole the ball. Johnson didn’t see it coming.

Half – BYU made a slight run at the end of the first half. They had an opportunity to cut the deficit to 15, but Fousseyni Traore was called for a travel. He was anticipating contact, but it wasn’t there. So he shuffled his feet.

Halftime: Texas Tech 42, BYU 23#BYU shot 21% from the field in the first half.#BYUHoops #Big12 pic.twitter.com/5eZZ6o0lNK

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 14, 2024

Pop Isaacs then got a layup with the shot clock expiring to put Tech back up by 19 points.

Texas Tech outscored #BYU in second-chance points in the first half, 12-3.#BYUHoops #Big12

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 14, 2024

It’s the largest halftime deficit of the season for BYU. Texas Tech 42, BYU 23. 

The Fousseyni Traore travel felt like a significant moment that held off #BYU gaining some momentum at the end of the first half.

After the call, Andy Reid told one of the officials, "Euro steps. Euro steps."#BYUHoops #Big12

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 14, 2024

Second Half

15:59 – BYU reshuffled its starting lineup to open the second half due to an ankle injury for Aly Khalifa.

Aly Khalifa has been ruled out for the remainder of today's game against Texas Tech with an ankle injury.#BYU #BYUHoops #Big12

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 14, 2024

Khalifa was walking gingerly around the BYU bench. Fousseyni Traore started in replace of Khalifa. Texas Tech 52, BYU 32.

12:58 – BYU continued to compete, but shots were not falling. The Cougar’s 3-point field goal percentage dipped to 17%, while Texas Tech shot 44%. Texas Tech 56, BYU 38.

12:22 – BYU forward Noah Waterman was called for a flagrant foul.

Texas Tech guard Joe Toussaint was on top of him, yet the officials called a flagrant on Waterman. Texas Tech 60, BYU 38.

8:50 – BYU forced Texas Tech into burning a timeout after Richie Saunders knocked down a three, and Spencer Johnson produced a fastbreak layup.

The Red Raiders had a 2:38 scoring drought. Texas Tech 62, BYU 45.

3:49 – BYU showed they wouldn’t quit as they reeled off a 15-0 run after Jaxson Robinson knocked down a three to cut Tech’s lead down to nine.

#BYU cut the deficit down to seven, then Texas Tech buried back-to-back threes.

The deficit feels like it's too big of a hole for BYU to climb out of today.#BYUHoops #Big12

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 14, 2024

Then Richie Saunders hit a pair of free throws in a one-and-one situation to bring it down to seven.

After a six-minute scoring drought, Texas Tech got a big three-pointer from Joe Toussaint to put them in front by double digits again.

BYU’s Trevin Knell had a corner-three opportunity to counter, but it went off the iron. Tech’s Darrion Williams had a wide-open three he buried. Texas Tech 68, BYU 55.

1:57 – BYU’s last run in them was negated by the 6-0 spurt from Texas Tech.

The Cougars energizer off the bench, Richie Saunders, fouled out. Texas Tech 73, BYU 59.

Final – Pop Isaacs made a field goal late that garnered some boos from the crowd at the T-Mobile Center. Texas Tech 81, BYU 67.

Up next for BYU basketball

BYU will turn its attention to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. On Selection Sunday at 4 p.m. (MT), the team will learn where it is placed.

The cities BYU can play at in the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament are Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh, Omaha, and Charlotte.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

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