Wednesday’s home game against Division II Westminster was supposed to be a tune-up game for the start of West Coast Conference play.

Instead, the Cougars are playing the waiting game as programs around the conference are paused due to COVID-19 protocol. BYU’s WCC opener at Portland was postponed on Wednesday afternoon.

“We’re back to real time decisions, right?” Cougar coach Mark Pope said. “Everything can change in the next 20 minutes. We’re back to that dynamic for the immediate future.”

As of Wednesday, San Diego, Portland, Pepperdine and Santa Clara are on COVID pauses.

As for the evening’s basketball game, it was a likely a case of post-Hawaii hangover for the Cougars, who were also shorthanded due to illness. After a lackluster first half, BYU flexed its muscles and took control in the second, finally ending up with a 65-53 victory.

Gideon George had a career-high five 3-pointers for BYU, scoring a season-best 17 points. George, who was 45% from the 3-point line in three games at the Diamond Head Classic last week, joked that he should be called, “Island Boy” and his strong shooting was a continuation of playing well in Hawaii.

“My shot was just falling,” he said. “I’m shooting the ball with confidence so I say I brought that back home (from Hawaii). I always say they (the opponents) should get hands on 13 (Alex Barcello) and 21 (Trevin Knell) and leave 5 (George) alone.”

George was joined in double figures by Knell (11), Hunter Erickson (10, a career-high) and Te’Jon Lucas with 10. Barcello, the Cougars’ leading scorer, was held under double figures (9) for the second straight game. Lucas and Barcello contributed five assists each and George led the team with eight rebounds.

In a true college basketball oddity, the two teams didn’t shoot a free throw for the game’s first 29 minutes. BYU didn’t take a foul shot until five minutes left in the game and didn’t reach the bonus until the final 18 seconds.

Lewis Johnson, a UVU transfer, led Westminster with 13 points. The Griffins record stays at 5-6 overall because the game was designated an exhibition for them.

The first half was a typical holiday affair with plenty of missed shots and sloppy basketball. The two teams combined to shoot 21 of 61 (34%) from the field and 11 of 29 (38%) from the 3-point line. It was a free-flowing first half, though, as the officials called just five total team fouls and neither the Cougars nor the Griffins shot a single free throw.

George provided an offensive spark off the bench for BYU, scoring 11 points with a trio of 3-pointers during a 13-2 run that pushed the home team’s lead to 21-10 at the 10:46 mark. Unfortunately, that was it for the offense the rest of the half. The Cougars scored just eight more points and at one point went six minutes without a basket, missing nine straight shots. Westminster closed to within three points, 23-20, on a 3-pointer from Ryan Bell at the 6:25 mark. BYU stretched its advantage to nine, 29-20, after back-to-back 3-pointers by Lucas and Barcello but the Griffins scored the final two baskets of the half to draw within five, 29-24, at the break.

Pope said he wanted more energy from his team in the second half and he got it. BYU had a 12-3 run early in the half with 3-pointers from Barcello and Erickson for a 46-32 advantage at the 13:23 mark. Erickson’s steal and two-handed slam turned up the volume from the slumbering Marriott Center crowd at the 7:26 mark. Erickson, George and Knell all pumped in triples and the BYU lead reached 21, 63-42, with 4:33 to play.

“So this game today was just kind of putting the final touches on the non-conference,” Pope said. “It was really important that we finished this right. You know, we didn’t play our best game tonight. All things considered, I’m super proud of the guys. But for us right now it is like we’ve got to regroup. We’ve got to get healthy. These 15 games are coming with a real emotional cost for our guys. I’m actually more concerned about their freshness emotionally than I am even physically.”

Spencer Johnson and Seneca Knight didn’t play Wednesday night due to illness, according to team officials.

The Cougars (12-3) will be on alert to see if their WCC opener with Portland will be rescheduled any time soon. In the meantime, BYU’s next scheduled game is next Thursday in the Marriott Center against Pacific. Pope said he and his coaching staff will be working the phones with the league offices and will consider non-conference options as well.

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