Provo, UT –
What looked like yet another opportunity for BYU to upset another top 25 team again ended in another heartbreak on Saturday night as St. Mary’s (19-4, WCC 8-0) defeated BYU (14-10, WCC 4-5) 57-56.
Freshman Dallin Hall went to the free throw line with 13 seconds left to put BYU up by two. However, he missed the first one and what looked to be like deja vu against Gonzaga creeped into the Marriott Center once again.
Dallin Hall made the second free throw giving the Cougars a one point lead. But, it wasn’t too long after where BYU found themselves in the same situation as Gonzaga.
Point guard Aiden Mahaney hit the game winning dagger to give the Gaels a 57 to 56 lead with 0.3 seconds left.
how he do that?!@saintmaryshoops | #WCCHoops pic.twitter.com/Ae1R9tflrg
— WCC Basketball (@WCChoops) January 29, 2023
With barely no time left the Cougars watched their upset hopes fall once again.
Mahaney’s second half performance was the difference maker. The Freshman from Lafayette, California scored all 10 of his points in the second half on 4-of-6 shooting in 18 minutes of play and was plus nine on the floor.
The Cougars were short handed Saturday night against No. 22 St. Mary’s guard Jaxson Robinson, and forwards Atiki Ally Atiki and Noah Waterman had to sit out one game due to breaking a team rule. All three will be back for Thursday’s night game against Loyola Marymount on February 2nd.
Although Hall missed a crucial free throw the Freshman from Plain City, Utah still had a career night against the Gaels. Hall finished the game with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting and added four rebounds and two assists.
https://twitter.com/WCChoops/status/1619552406404038658?s=20&t=40Er-IJJ2HB-9lR5T2XY6A
Fousseyni Traroe was the next leading scoring for the Cougars as the sophomore added 11 points and eight rebounds, two short of what could’ve been his 5th double-double of the season.
Postgame:
