BYU's 15-point cushion over Montana State stands after 86-71 rout
Rob Wright III's 22-point performance powered the Cougars to a fourth straight win, with a 28-4 fast-break edge sealing the victory.
By Ariana Flores ·
BYU defeated Montana State 86-71 on Thursday in Provo, Utah, extending the Cougars' winning streak to four games. Rob Wright III led the scoring with 22 points, seven assists, and five steals. The Cougars finished the season opener with a 4-0 record.
The game turned decisive in the first half when BYU outscored the Bobcats 28-4 in fast-break points. A 13-2 run in the closing minutes before halftime gave the home team a 34-17 lead. Tyler Betsey contributed two layups during that stretch, while Jake Wahlin finished the sequence with a 3-pointer.
Montana State attempted a comeback early in the second half. Jeremiah Davis hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to nine points with one minute remaining in the period. Bruce Branch III answered with consecutive 3-pointers to extend BYU's lead to 49-34. Branch finished the game with 17 points, while Jaxon Kohler added 12 points and six rebounds.
The Cougars established their largest margin late in the game. Wright stole the ball and scored a layup to make it 86-65 with 1:50 left on the clock. That 21-point cushion held through the final seconds. BYU also held a 46-24 advantage in points in the paint.
Dawson Baker made his season debut for BYU on Thursday. The forward played eight minutes and recorded two points and two rebounds. Baker had averaged 7.5 points last season before a knee injury ended his campaign against Miami. He also played a key bench role two seasons ago when the team reached the Sweet 16.
Jeremiah Davis and London Praytor each scored 14 points for Montana State, which dropped to 1-2 on the season. Christian King added 12 points for the Bobcats.
BYU will host Northern Colorado on Wednesday. Montana State travels to host Cal Poly on Sunday.
