BYU

UCF

Saunders hits 6 3-pointers, scores 22 points and BYU beats UCF 81-75 for fourth straight win

AP
Feb 01, 2025

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Richie Saunders made six 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead BYU Cougars to an 81-75 victory over UCF Knights on Saturday for its fourth straight win.

Mawot Mag added 18 points and matched a career-best with five assists for BYU (15-6, 6-4 Big 12). Trevin Knell chipped in with 15 points. Keba Keita scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Keyshawn Hall scored 20 points for UCF (13-8, 4-6). Moustapha Thiam scored 17 points, Darius Johnson added 16 and Jordan Ivy-Curry had 14.

Mag scored six points and Keita's dunk ended an 8-0 surge to open the second half and BYU led 46-40. Consecutive 3s by Ivy-Curry and Hall gave UCF its only lead of the half, 58-55, with 8:42 remaining.

It was tied three more times before Saunders hit a 3 for a 68-65 advantage with 4:04 remaining and the Cougars led the rest of the way.

Johnson scored 12 points and Thiam had 10 to help UCF build a 40-38 halftime advantage. Knell scored 13 first-half points and Saunders added 11 to pace BYU.

BYU hosts Arizona on Tuesday.

UCF plays at home against Cincinnati on Wednesday.

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1st Half
BYU
Cougars
38
UCF
Knights
40

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Cougars gains possession)
19:42	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Mawot Mag assists)	3-0
19:08		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
19:06		Trevin Knell defensive rebound
18:44		Egor Demin turnover (Darius Johnson steals)
18:32	+2	Darius Johnson makes two point jump shot	3-2
18:20	+2	Keba Keita makes two point dunk (Egor Demin assists)	5-2
17:59		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
17:57		Cougars defensive rebound
17:40		Egor Demin turnover (Dallan Coleman steals)
17:29		Moustapha Thiam misses two point dunk
17:27		Trevin Knell defensive rebound
17:10		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
17:08		Knights defensive rebound
16:55		Moustapha Thiam misses three point jump shot
16:53		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
16:43	+3	Trevin Knell makes three point jump shot (Mawot Mag assists)	8-2
16:26		Darius Johnson misses two point layup
16:24		Keba Keita defensive rebound
16:19		Trevin Knell misses two point jump shot
16:15		Cougars offensive rebound
16:15		Keyshawn Hall personal foul
16:01		Trevin Knell turnover
15:52	+2	Keyshawn Hall makes two point layup	8-4
15:36		Richie Saunders turnover (Dallan Coleman steals)
15:30	+3	Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot (Moustapha Thiam assists)	8-7
15:28		Cougars 30 second timeout
15:28		TV timeout
15:17	+3	Mawot Mag makes three point jump shot (Keba Keita assists)	11-7
14:56	+3	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes three point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists)	11-10
14:35	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	14-10
14:19	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point dunk (Keyshawn Hall assists)	14-12
14:11	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup	16-12
14:00		Keyshawn Hall misses three point jump shot
13:58		Cougars defensive rebound
13:30		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
13:26		Keyshawn Hall personal foul
13:26		Keyshawn Hall technical foul
13:26		Dawson Baker misses technical free throw 1 of 2
13:26		Dawson Baker misses technical free throw 2 of 2
13:23		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
13:21		Dallin Hall offensive rebound
13:16		Kanon Catchings misses three point jump shot
13:14		Tyler Hendricks defensive rebound
13:06		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses two point jump shot
13:04		Rokas Jocius offensive rebound
13:04	+2	Rokas Jocius makes two point layup	16-14
13:04		Dawson Baker shooting foul (Rokas Jocius draws the foul)
13:04		Rokas Jocius misses regular free throw 1 of 1
13:04		Dawson Baker defensive rebound
12:44		Fousseyni Traore misses two point layup
12:42		Rokas Jocius defensive rebound
12:32		Richie Saunders shooting foul
12:32	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	16-15
12:32	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-16
12:21		Egor Demin turnover (traveling)
12:06		Dior Johnson turnover (traveling)
11:37		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
11:35		Dior Johnson defensive rebound
11:35		Egor Demin personal foul
11:35		TV timeout
11:26		Dawson Baker personal foul
11:23	+3	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes three point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists)	16-19
10:55	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists)	18-19
10:46		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
10:44		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
10:27		Dallin Hall turnover (Darius Johnson steals)
10:19	+3	Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot	18-22
9:57		Benny Williams shooting foul
9:57		Fousseyni Traore misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:57	+1	Fousseyni Traore makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-22
9:38	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point jump shot	19-24
9:29		Richie Saunders turnover (Dallan Coleman steals)
9:20		Trevin Knell personal foul
8:54		Dallan Coleman misses three point jump shot
8:52		Keba Keita defensive rebound
8:37		Keba Keita misses two point layup
8:35		Keba Keita offensive rebound
8:35		Keba Keita turnover (offensive goaltending)
8:28		Darius Johnson misses two point layup
8:26		Tyler Hendricks offensive rebound
8:23		Dallan Coleman misses three point jump shot
8:21		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
8:09		Kanon Catchings misses two point jump shot
8:07		Tyler Hendricks defensive rebound
7:55		Rokas Jocius misses two point jump shot
7:53		Egor Demin defensive rebound
7:48	+3	Trevin Knell makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	22-24
7:36		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
7:34		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
7:26	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Trevin Knell assists)	25-24
7:18		Knights 30 second timeout
7:18		TV timeout
7:07		Mawot Mag personal foul
7:07		Cougars 30 second timeout
6:57		Jordan Ivy-Curry turnover
6:49		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
6:47		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
6:45		Keba Keita personal foul
6:45	+1	Moustapha Thiam makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-25
6:45	+1	Moustapha Thiam makes regular free throw 2 of 2	25-26
6:31		Keba Keita turnover (Darius Johnson steals)
6:27	+2	Darius Johnson makes two point layup	25-28
6:09		Richie Saunders misses two point jump shot
6:07		Keba Keita offensive rebound
6:03		Keba Keita misses two point layup
6:01		Benny Williams defensive rebound
5:53		Trevin Knell shooting foul (Jordan Ivy-Curry draws the foul)
5:53	+1	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-29
5:53	+1	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes regular free throw 2 of 2	25-30
5:23	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists)	27-30
5:06		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
5:04		Dallin Hall defensive rebound
4:40	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists)	29-30
4:32	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point dunk (Jordan Ivy-Curry assists)	29-32
4:14		Fousseyni Traore misses two point layup
4:12		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
3:53	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point hook shot	29-34
3:31		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
3:28		Knights defensive rebound
3:28		Mawot Mag personal foul
3:28		TV timeout
3:28	+1	Nils Machowski makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-35
3:28	+1	Nils Machowski makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-36
2:59		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
2:57		Darius Johnson defensive rebound
2:47		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
2:45		Keba Keita defensive rebound
2:40		Richie Saunders turnover (Nils Machowski steals)
2:38		Nils Machowski turnover (Dallin Hall steals)
2:30		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
2:28		Dallan Coleman defensive rebound
2:14		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
2:12		Dawson Baker defensive rebound
2:06	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point layup	31-36
2:06		Nils Machowski shooting foul (Dawson Baker draws the foul)
2:06		Dawson Baker misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:06		Nils Machowski defensive rebound
1:47		Keba Keita shooting foul (Benny Williams draws the foul)
1:47		Benny Williams misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:47		Benny Williams misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:47		Dawson Baker defensive rebound
1:33	+3	Trevin Knell makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)	34-36
1:08		Dawson Baker personal foul
1:08	+1	Dallan Coleman makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-37
1:08	+1	Dallan Coleman makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-38
0:54		Dallin Hall turnover (Benny Williams steals)
0:47		Dallan Coleman misses two point layup
0:45		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
0:41		Fousseyni Traore turnover (Benny Williams steals)
0:38		Benny Williams misses two point layup
0:36		Nils Machowski offensive rebound
0:27	+2	Nils Machowski makes two point layup	34-40
0:12	+3	Trevin Knell makes three point jump shot (Trey Stewart assists)	37-40
0:12		Dallan Coleman shooting foul (Trevin Knell draws the foul)
0:12	+1	Trevin Knell makes regular free throw 1 of 1	38-40
0:06		Darius Johnson misses two point layup
0:04		Dallin Hall defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
BYU
Cougars
43
UCF
Knights
35

Time		Play	Score
19:48		Keyshawn Hall misses two point layup
19:46		Trevin Knell defensive rebound
19:40		Mawot Mag turnover (traveling)
19:18		Dallan Coleman turnover (Richie Saunders steals)
18:52		Moustapha Thiam blocks Richie Saunders's two point layup
18:50		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
18:43		Keyshawn Hall misses three point jump shot
18:41		Keba Keita defensive rebound
18:30	+3	Mawot Mag makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	41-40
18:14		Jordan Ivy-Curry turnover (Trevin Knell steals)
17:54		Moustapha Thiam blocks Trevin Knell's two point layup
17:52		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
17:50		Darius Johnson turnover (Mawot Mag steals)
17:33		Darius Johnson personal foul
17:25		Jordan Ivy-Curry personal foul
17:22		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
17:20		Darius Johnson defensive rebound
17:05		Egor Demin personal foul
17:03		Darius Johnson turnover (Richie Saunders steals)
16:57	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point layup	43-40
16:57		Moustapha Thiam shooting foul (Mawot Mag draws the foul)
16:57	+1	Mawot Mag makes regular free throw 1 of 1	44-40
16:47		Darius Johnson misses two point layup
16:45		Moustapha Thiam offensive rebound
16:45		Moustapha Thiam misses two point layup
16:43		Cougars defensive rebound
16:35		Darius Johnson personal foul
16:30	+2	Keba Keita makes two point dunk (Egor Demin assists)	46-40
16:22		Knights 30 second timeout
16:22		TV timeout
16:10		Keyshawn Hall turnover (Keba Keita steals)
15:59		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
15:57		Trevin Knell offensive rebound
15:51		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
15:49		Moustapha Thiam defensive rebound
15:49		Keba Keita personal foul
15:49		TV timeout
15:36	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point dunk (Darius Johnson assists)	46-42
15:17		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
15:04	+3	Moustapha Thiam makes three point jump shot (Dallan Coleman assists)	46-45
14:45		Darius Johnson personal foul
14:42		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
14:40		Keyshawn Hall defensive rebound
14:17		Kanon Catchings personal foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
14:13		Moustapha Thiam misses two point layup
14:11		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
14:07		Darius Johnson shooting foul
14:07	+1	Mawot Mag makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-45
14:07	+1	Mawot Mag makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-45
13:49		Kanon Catchings personal foul
13:44		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
13:42		Cougars defensive rebound
13:19		Fousseyni Traore turnover (bad pass)
13:07	+2	Moustapha Thiam makes two point jump shot (Keyshawn Hall assists)	48-47
12:45	+3	Mawot Mag makes three point jump shot (Dawson Baker assists)	51-47
12:22		Mawot Mag shooting foul (Keyshawn Hall draws the foul)
12:22	+1	Keyshawn Hall makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-48
12:22	+1	Keyshawn Hall makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-49
11:53	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point layup (Fousseyni Traore assists)	53-49
11:42		Keyshawn Hall misses two point jump shot
11:40		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
11:32		Kanon Catchings misses three point jump shot
11:29		Knights defensive rebound
11:29		TV timeout
11:16	+2	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes two point layup (Keyshawn Hall assists)	53-51
11:16		Fousseyni Traore shooting foul (Jordan Ivy-Curry draws the foul)
11:16	+1	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes regular free throw 1 of 1	53-52
11:03	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup (Kanon Catchings assists)	55-52
10:56		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses two point layup
10:54		Knights offensive rebound
10:43		Benny Williams misses two point jump shot
10:41		Kanon Catchings defensive rebound
10:14		Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot
10:12		Nils Machowski defensive rebound
9:51		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
9:49		Benny Williams offensive rebound
9:45	+3	Jordan Ivy-Curry makes three point jump shot (Benny Williams assists)	55-55
9:26		Kanon Catchings misses two point layup
9:24		Jordan Ivy-Curry defensive rebound
9:20		Trey Stewart blocks Jordan Ivy-Curry's two point layup
9:18		Knights offensive rebound
9:06		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses two point layup
9:04		Cougars defensive rebound
8:53		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
8:51		Keyshawn Hall defensive rebound
8:42	+3	Keyshawn Hall makes three point jump shot	55-58
8:22		Mawot Mag turnover (Jordan Ivy-Curry steals)
8:13		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
8:11		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
8:06		Moustapha Thiam blocks Richie Saunders's two point layup
8:04		Keyshawn Hall defensive rebound
7:53		Keyshawn Hall misses two point layup
7:53		Keyshawn Hall offensive rebound
7:53		Keyshawn Hall misses two point layup
7:51		Egor Demin defensive rebound
7:36	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Mawot Mag assists)	58-58
7:10		Moustapha Thiam misses three point jump shot
7:07		Cougars defensive rebound
7:07		TV timeout
6:59		Egor Demin turnover (Dallan Coleman steals)
6:53		Egor Demin personal foul
6:53		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:53		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
6:34	+2	Keba Keita makes two point jump shot (Mawot Mag assists)	60-58
6:01	+2	Keyshawn Hall makes two point jump shot	60-60
5:51	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Mawot Mag assists)	63-60
5:35	+3	Keyshawn Hall makes three point jump shot	63-63
5:16		Nils Machowski personal foul
5:16	+1	Trevin Knell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	64-63
5:16	+1	Trevin Knell makes regular free throw 2 of 2	65-63
5:04		Dior Johnson misses three point jump shot
5:02		Egor Demin defensive rebound
4:58		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass)
4:46		Trevin Knell personal foul
4:46	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	65-64
4:46	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	65-65
4:29		Keyshawn Hall blocks Mawot Mag's two point layup
4:27		Keyshawn Hall defensive rebound
4:18		Darius Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Trevin Knell steals)
4:04	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	68-65
3:47		Richie Saunders personal foul
3:47		TV timeout
3:47	+1	Keyshawn Hall makes regular free throw 1 of 2	68-66
3:47	+1	Keyshawn Hall makes regular free throw 2 of 2	68-67
3:35	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point layup	70-67
3:12	+2	Keyshawn Hall makes two point jump shot	70-69
2:44	+3	Egor Demin makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)	73-69
2:30	+2	Keyshawn Hall makes two point layup	73-71
2:02		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
2:00		Keba Keita offensive rebound
1:58	+2	Keba Keita makes two point layup	75-71
1:48		Darius Johnson turnover (lost ball)
1:26	+2	Mawot Mag makes two point jump shot	77-71
1:20		Knights 30 second timeout
1:12		Trey Stewart personal foul
1:12	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	77-72
1:12	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	77-73
1:06		Cougars 30 second timeout
0:47		Jordan Ivy-Curry shooting foul (Keba Keita draws the foul)
0:47	+1	Keba Keita makes regular free throw 1 of 2	78-73
0:47	+1	Keba Keita makes regular free throw 2 of 2	79-73
0:40		Jordan Ivy-Curry misses three point jump shot
0:38		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
0:33		Dallan Coleman personal foul (Dallin Hall draws the foul)
0:33	+1	Dallin Hall makes regular free throw 1 of 2	80-73
0:33		Dallin Hall misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:33		Keyshawn Hall defensive rebound
0:27		Keba Keita shooting foul (Keyshawn Hall draws the foul)
0:27	+1	Keyshawn Hall makes regular free throw 1 of 2	80-74
0:27	+1	Keyshawn Hall makes regular free throw 2 of 2	80-75
0:27		Knights 60 second timeout
0:25		Jordan Ivy-Curry personal foul
0:25		Dallin Hall misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:25		Dallin Hall misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:25		Keyshawn Hall defensive rebound
0:21		Keba Keita blocks Keyshawn Hall's two point layup
0:19		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
0:17		Jordan Ivy-Curry personal foul
0:17	+1	Mawot Mag makes regular free throw 1 of 2	81-75
0:17		Mawot Mag misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:17		Keyshawn Hall defensive rebound
0:13		Keba Keita blocks Darius Johnson's two point layup
0:11		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Richie Saunders defensive rebound