3 keys in the BYU Cougars’ 62-52 win over the Saint Mary’s Gaels

Brigham Young Cougars guard Alex Barcello (13) smiles and applauds after getting an offensive foul called on Weber State Wildcats guard Seikou Sisoho Jawara (5) as BYU and Weber State play an NCAA basketball game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

BYU took advantage of a cold-shooting Saint Mary’s team during a key second-half stretch as the Cougars beat the Gaels 62-52 at McKeon Pavilion in Moraga, California, on Thursday.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

• BYU (10-3, 1-1 West Coast Conference) won in Moraga for the first time since 2014 despite trailing by eight points with just under 11 minutes to play. The Gaels led for nearly 27 minutes of game-time. The Cougars, though, turned the contest around with a 16-0 run over a nearly 10-minute span to take a 59-50 lead in the final minute. Saint Mary’s missed 10 straight field goals during that stretch and shot 7 of 23 in the second half.
• Alex Barcello, as usual, led the Cougars offensively, shooting 6 of 10 from the field and scoring a game-high 14 points while adding two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Brandon Averette added nine points, three assists and three steals, while Caleb Lohner had four points and a game-high nine rebounds.
• The Cougars had a 44-24 edge in points in the paint and got 11 second-chance points to five for Saint Mary’s (9-4, 0-2 WCC).

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