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BYU men’s basketball pounds Florida A&M 103-57 to end non-conference slate

By Darnell Dickson - | Dec 20, 2024
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BYU's Kanon Catchings hangs on the rim after a dunk against Florida A&M in a men's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
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BYU's Dawson Baker (25) dribbles the ball against Florida A&M in a men's college basketball game in the Marriott Center on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
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BYU's Fousseyni Traore (45) shoots the ball against Florida A&M in a men's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.
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BYU's Elijah Crawford (2) calls out a play against Florida A&M in a men's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.

You may have heard that basketball is a game of runs.

BYU put together numerous scoring streaks on Friday night against Florida A&M and ended its non-conference slate with a 103-57 victory in the Marriott Center.

After falling behind 7-2 early, the Cougars put together runs of 22-0, 14-4 and 12-2 to lead by 29, 50-21, at halftime. For good measure, BYU added a 15-0 burst to open the second half in its final tune-up before Big 12 play.

Freshman Kanon Catchings shot the ball well (8 of 12 from the field, 4 of 7 from the 3-point line) to lead the Cougars with a career-high 21 points.

“One of the things I love about Kanon is that he is extremely coachable,” BYU coach Kevin Young said. “if we lock in on something, he really tries to go do what I ask. As a coach, that’s really all you can ask for. It’s not really about making and missing shots, it’s about just taking the right ones. And that’s going to serve him well and us in terms of the efficiency piece. I thought he was an ‘A plus’ tonight in that category.”

Dallin Hall put together a fine line (15 points, five rebounds, seven assists) as did Fousseyni Traore (nine points, six rebounds, five assists). Joining Catchings and Hall in double figures were Dawson Baker with 11 and Mawot Mag and Trevin Knell with ten each. BYU coach Kevin Young substituted freely and 11 Cougars scored, including the first eight points in the career of freshman Brody Kozlowski.

The team numbers were pretty good, too. BYU shot 54% from the field and made 15 of 34 (44%) from the 3-point line. The Cougars assisted on 25 of its 34 field goals and outrebounded the Rattlers 45-25.

“Something we talk a lot about as a team is ‘paint to great’ and making the extra pass,” Hall said. “The one more (pass), we just feel like those are high percentage shots. It’s a style of play that gives everyone energy on both ends of the court.”

BYU, which last played nearly a week ago, started slowly before Traore ignited the 22-0 run. He fed Catchings for a dunk and scored twice inside. He set up Baker’s back-to-back 3-pointers with an assist and an offensive rebound, which pushed the Cougar lead to 24-7.

Leading 28-13, Catchings and Hall both dropped in triples and BYU led 38-13. To end the first half, Catchings and Hall again found accuracy from long range and two free throws from Knell finished the scoring at 50-21 at half. The 21 points was the lowest total allowed by the Cougars all season.

Catchings made two more 3-pointers and Knell added another to start the second half, then Catchings flew down the lane for a baseline dunk to give the Cougars a 66-23 lead with 15:59 to play, the capper on a 15-0 run.

At least some of crowd stayed long enough to see Jared McGregor hit a late 3-pointer to push BYU over the 100-point plateau.

“I thought it was a really unselfish game out of our group,” Young said. “I think you guys know we’re trying to really try to keep teams off the foul line. I thought for the most part, we did that for the majority of the game. We tried to force them to try to beat us from three for most of the game. So I think execution wise, there were some good takeaways.”

The Cougars have now won 13 straight at home and 20 in a row in non-conference home games.

Junior Richie Saunders (concussion) and freshman Egor Demin (knee) did not play on Friday but are expected to be ready for Big 12 play.

Earlier in the day, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported that BYU will open the 2025-26 season in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena against Villanova, No. 1 recruit AJ Dybantsa’s college debut.

BYU (9-2) will open the Big 12 schedule in the Marriott Center against league newcomer Arizona State at 2 p.m. MT on New Year’s Eve.