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BYU's Richie Saunders (15) and Egor Demin greet fans at Colorado's CU Events Center in Boulder after an 83-67 victory on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Keba Keita (13) dunks against Colorado in a Big 12 men's basketball game in Boulder, Colo., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Richie Saunders drives against Colorado's Andre Jakimovski in a Big 12 men's basketball game in Boulder, Colo., on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Players on the BYU bench celebrate a 3-pointer in a Big 12 men's basketball game against Colorado in Boulder on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Dallin Hall (30) reaches for the ball against Colorado's Trevor Baskin in a Big 12 men's basketball game in Boulder, Colo., on Tuesday, Jan,. 21, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Mawot Mag handles the ball against Colorado in a Big 12 men's college basketball game in Boulder on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. The game started after the print deadline for the Daily Herald. Got to heraldextra.com for results at the conclusion of the game.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Richie Saunders (right) drives to the basket against Colorado in a Big 12 men's basketball game at Boulder on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Dallin Hall fires up his teammates before the start of a Big 12 men's basketball game against Colorado in Boulder on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. The game started after the print deadline for the Daily Herald. Got to heraldextra.com for results at the conclusion of the game.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Kanon Catchings, left, watches video with head coach Kevin Young and assistant John Linehan before the start of Big 12 men's basketball game against Colorado in Boulder on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. The game started after the print deadline for the Daily Herald. Got to heraldextra.com for results at the conclusion of the game.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Richie Saunders takes a shot during warmups before the start of a Big 12 men's basketball game against Colorado in Boulder on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. The game started after the print deadline for the Daily Herald. Got to heraldextra.com for results at the conclusion of the game.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Dawson Baker (left) and Trevin Knell pose for a photo before the Cougars' Big 12 men's basketball matchup against Colorado in Boulder on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. The game started after the print deadline for the Daily Herald. Got to heraldextra.com for results at the conclusion of the game.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU gave fans a taste of what its capable of during an 11-0 run in the first half against Colorado on Tuesday, thanks to junior guard Richie Saunders.

His teammates joined him to make a full meal of the Buffs to start the second half, a devastating 23-2 blitz at CU Events Center in Boulder that resulted in an 83-67 victory and the team’s first road win of the season.

“The way we stormed out of halftime was really impressive,” Cougar coach Kevin Young said in his post-game radio interview.

Saunders, who scored seven straight points in the first half after the Cougars fell behind by 10, tallied five points and Trevin Knell bombed in a trio of 3-pointers in the electrifying second half start. But the real catalyst of the deciding run was freshman Egor Demin, who had six assists during that stretch. One of those dishes was a slick between the legs pass to Knell for a 3-pointer and Demin also turned a steal into a reverse dunk as BYU led 61-38 with 14:01 to play.

The Buffaloes broke out of a dizzying trance of clanking shots after that but the damage had been done and BYU cruised to the win.

“It couple of different things,” Young said. “No. 1, we were holding them to one shot. And then we were able to get out in transition and really open things up. We’ve been putting a ton of emphasis on trying to play faster and I thought that was on full display. There was a moment there where our execution was as good as it’s been all year. The ball was moving, guys were setting screens and Trev was flying off stuff.”

After falling behind by ten points in the first half, BYU outscored Colorado 39-8 over the next 12 minutes of game play, with all eight points for the Buffs coming at the free throw line.

Saunders finished with 25 points on 10 of 15 from the field and added five rebounds. Knell had 14 points on 4 of 6 from distance and Mawot Mag added 11 points, tying a season high. Demin scored eight points, with all seven assists in the second half and a team-leading four steals. The Cougars shot 68% from the field in the second 20 minutes. Their 58.5% field goal shooting and 45% (11 of 24) from 3 were both season highs.

“We definitely were feeding off each other,” Knell said. “I feel like we have really good chemistry with the guys that are out there. Our main point today was trying to get out (on the break It was really fun to watch. I love these guys and would literally run through a brick wall for all of these guys.”

Julian Hammond III led Colorado (9-9 overall, 0-7 Big 12) with 17 points. The Buffaloes went nearly 14:30 of game time without a field goal, a combination of poor shot selection and a renewed effort by BYU on the defensive end that became transition opportunities on the other end.

Colorado went on a 14-0 run in the first half, taking a 32-22 lead with 5:43 to go after shooting 11 of 15 (73%) from the field. Saunders brought the Cougars back with a personal 7-0 run that turned into an 11-0 burst, a 3-point play by Mawot Mag pushing the visitors into a 33-32 lead with 3:03 to play in the half and BYU led 38-36 at the break.

Saunders led all scorers with 14 points in an emotional first half where each team picked up a technical foul.

Mag got BYU started in the second half with a drive into the lane for a basket, Saunders followed with a 3-pointer and Knell made two triples, all set up by Demin, and the Cougars roared to a 23-point lead against a stunned Colorado club that was probably wondering where all of its good shooting had gone. The closest the Buffs got in the second half was 14 points.

It was not only BYU’s first road win of the season (the Cougars were 0-4 in true road games previous to Tuesday) but the first time BYU men’s basketball was victorious in Boulder since 1902.

BYU (12-6, 3-4) will return to the Marriott Center on Saturday to play Cincinnati. The Bearcats, which began the season in the Top 25, opened Big 12 play with four straight losses before beating Colorado and Arizona State. On Tuesday, Cincinnati fell to Texas Tech, 81-71.