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No. 2 Houston shuts down No. 17 BYU for a 74-54 victory in Big 12 Tournament semifinals

AP
Mar 15, 2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Emanuel Sharpe scored 26 points, LJ Cryer had 20 and second-ranked Houston stifled No. 17 BYU in a 74-54 victory Friday night that moved the Cougars into the Big 12 Tournament championship game for the second consecutive season.

Milos Uzan added 14 points and Mylik Wilson pulled down 13 rebounds, helping the tournament's top seed jump to a big early lead and roll into Saturday night's matchup with Arizona on a 12-game win streak.

Houston (29-4) played without J'Wan Roberts, its leading rebounder, after he sprained his ankle early in the second half of the Cougars' quarterfinal win over Colorado. Roberts watched from the bench with his right foot in a walking boot.

He got to watch quite a defensive show by one of the nation's best.

Houston forced BYU to miss its first nine shots, including seven from beyond the arc, where coach Kevin Young's team had set a Big 12 Tournament record with 18 made 3s on its way to 96 points in a quarterfinal win over Iowa State. That nearly seven-minute lull allowed Houston to roar to a 15-0 lead that it spent the rest of the game protecting.

BYU trimmed its 40-21 halftime deficit to 13 midway through the second half but never threatened to come all the way back.

Keba Keita had 14 points and 12 rebounds for BYU. Dawson Baker scored 11 points and Richie Saunders had 10.

BYU still has not won a conference tournament title since 2001 in the Mountain West.

Houston lived up to its billing as the nation's No. 1 team in defensive efficiency.

Sharpe converted a four-point play with 13:40 left in the first half to give Houston its 15-0 lead.

Houston has beaten BYU by an average of 25.5 points in their two games this season.

Houston will play the Wildcats for the Big 12 title.

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1st Half
BYU
Cougars
20
HOU
Cougars
41

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Keba Keita vs. Joseph Tugler (Milos Uzan gains possession)
19:43		Emanuel Sharp misses two point jump shot
19:41		Cougars defensive rebound
19:31		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
19:29		Joseph Tugler defensive rebound
19:21		Joseph Tugler misses two point jump shot
19:19		Keba Keita defensive rebound
18:56		Richie Saunders misses two point jump shot
18:54		Joseph Tugler defensive rebound
18:33		L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
18:31		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
18:24		Mawot Mag turnover (lost ball) (Emanuel Sharp steals)
18:24		Egor Demin personal foul
18:07	+2	L.J. Cryer makes two point jump shot	0-2
17:49		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass) (Terrance Arceneaux steals)
17:43		Keba Keita blocks Emanuel Sharp's two point layup
17:41		L.J. Cryer offensive rebound
17:38	+3	L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot	0-5
17:25		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
17:23		Cougars offensive rebound
17:12		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
17:10		Cougars defensive rebound
16:51	+2	Milos Uzan makes two point jump shot	0-7
16:32		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
16:30		Mawot Mag offensive rebound
16:17		Egor Demin turnover (traveling)
15:53	+2	Milos Uzan makes two point jump shot	0-9
15:37		TV timeout
15:28		Mawot Mag misses three point jump shot
15:26		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
15:06		L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
15:05		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
15:05		Ja'Vier Francis personal foul
14:43		Richie Saunders turnover (bad pass) (Terrance Arceneaux steals)
14:38		Terrance Arceneaux turnover (lost ball) (Dawson Baker steals)
14:33		Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot
14:31		Cougars defensive rebound
14:18		Terrance Arceneaux misses three point jump shot
14:16		Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound
14:16		Fousseyni Traore personal foul
14:13		Mylik Wilson turnover (bad pass) (Richie Saunders steals)
14:05		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
14:03		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
13:55	+2	Mylik Wilson makes two point dunk	0-11
13:46		Dallin Hall misses two point layup
13:44		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
13:41	+3	Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Milos Uzan assists)	0-14
13:41		Mihailo Boskovic shooting foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul)
13:41	+1	Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 1 of 1	0-15
13:16	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point jump shot	2-15
13:16		Terrance Arceneaux shooting foul (Dawson Baker draws the foul)
13:16	+1	Dawson Baker makes regular free throw 1 of 1	3-15
12:53	+2	Joseph Tugler makes two point dunk (Milos Uzan assists)	3-17
12:24		Egor Demin misses two point jump shot
12:22		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
12:16		Milos Uzan misses three point jump shot
12:14		Joseph Tugler offensive rebound
12:09		Joseph Tugler turnover (bad pass) (Dawson Baker steals)
12:04	+3	Trey Stewart makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	6-17
12:02		Trey Stewart technical foul
12:02	+1	L.J. Cryer makes technical free throw 1 of 2	6-18
12:02	+1	L.J. Cryer makes technical free throw 2 of 2	6-19
11:44		Mylik Wilson misses two point jump shot
11:42		Egor Demin defensive rebound
11:34		Ja'Vier Francis blocks Mihailo Boskovic's three point jump shot
11:32		Mihailo Boskovic offensive rebound
11:15		Mihailo Boskovic misses two point jump shot
11:13		Emanuel Sharp defensive rebound
11:02		Ja'Vier Francis turnover (bad pass) (Trey Stewart steals)
10:58		Mylik Wilson blocks Trey Stewart's two point layup
10:58		Cougars offensive rebound
10:58		TV timeout
10:56	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot (Egor Demin assists)	9-19
10:24		Ja'Vier Francis turnover (lost ball) (Egor Demin steals)
10:11		Keba Keita misses two point jump shot
10:09		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
9:47	+2	L.J. Cryer makes two point jump shot	9-21
9:36		Trey Stewart misses three point jump shot
9:34		Dawson Baker offensive rebound
9:32		Dawson Baker misses two point layup
9:30		Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
9:22	+2	Ja'Vier Francis makes two point dunk (Mylik Wilson assists)	9-23
9:15		Ja'Vier Francis shooting foul (Trey Stewart draws the foul)
9:15	+1	Trey Stewart makes regular free throw 1 of 2	10-23
9:15	+1	Trey Stewart makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-23
8:49		Joseph Tugler misses two point jump shot
8:47		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
8:44	+3	Richie Saunders makes three point jump shot	14-23
8:21		Milos Uzan misses three point jump shot
8:19		Terrance Arceneaux offensive rebound
8:15		Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot
8:12		Cougars defensive rebound
7:46		Keba Keita turnover (traveling)
7:46		TV timeout
7:22		L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
7:20		Keba Keita defensive rebound
7:04		Joseph Tugler blocks Richie Saunders's two point layup
7:02		Milos Uzan defensive rebound
6:55		L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
6:53		Cougars defensive rebound
6:32		Joseph Tugler shooting foul (Richie Saunders draws the foul)
6:32	+1	Richie Saunders makes regular free throw 1 of 2	15-23
6:32	+1	Richie Saunders makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-23
6:13	+3	Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Milos Uzan assists)	16-26
6:02		Egor Demin turnover (bad pass)
5:42		Mercy Miller misses three point jump shot
5:40		Fousseyni Traore defensive rebound
5:16		Mylik Wilson blocks Trevin Knell's two point layup
5:14		Cougars offensive rebound
5:08		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
5:06		Emanuel Sharp defensive rebound
4:40		Joseph Tugler misses three point jump shot
4:38		Egor Demin defensive rebound
4:35		Mercy Miller personal foul
4:15		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
4:13		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
4:05		Fousseyni Traore shooting foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul)
4:05	+1	Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 1 of 2	16-27
4:05	+1	Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-28
3:49	+2	Dawson Baker makes two point jump shot	18-28
3:29	+3	Milos Uzan makes three point jump shot	18-31
3:11		Richie Saunders turnover (traveling)
3:11		TV timeout
2:55		L.J. Cryer misses two point jump shot
2:53		Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound
2:51	+2	Ja'Vier Francis makes two point jump shot	18-33
2:36		Dawson Baker misses three point jump shot
2:34		Cougars offensive rebound
2:24	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point layup (Dawson Baker assists)	20-33
1:58		Dawson Baker shooting foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul)
1:58	+1	Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 1 of 2	20-34
1:58	+1	Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 2 of 2	20-35
1:43		Dawson Baker turnover (bad pass) (Joseph Tugler steals)
1:37	+2	Emanuel Sharp makes two point layup	20-37
1:24		Cougars 30 second timeout
1:12		Fousseyni Traore misses two point jump shot
1:10		Joseph Tugler defensive rebound
0:59	+3	L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot (Milos Uzan assists)	20-40
0:34		Joseph Tugler blocks Fousseyni Traore's two point layup
0:34		Cougars offensive rebound
0:32		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
0:30		Milos Uzan defensive rebound
0:28		Cougars 30 second timeout
0:26		Mihailo Boskovic personal foul (Joseph Tugler draws the foul)
0:26	+1	Joseph Tugler makes regular free throw 1 of 2	20-41
0:26		Joseph Tugler misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:26		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
0:14		Egor Demin turnover (lost ball) (Joseph Tugler steals)
0:01		L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
0:00		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
BYU
Cougars
34
HOU
Cougars
33

Time		Play	Score
19:50	+2	Keba Keita makes two point dunk (Egor Demin assists)	22-41
19:15		L.J. Cryer misses two point jump shot
19:13		Keba Keita defensive rebound
19:04		Egor Demin turnover (lost ball) (Terrance Arceneaux steals)
18:47	+2	Milos Uzan makes two point jump shot	22-43
18:27		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
18:25		L.J. Cryer defensive rebound
18:01		Emanuel Sharp misses two point jump shot
17:59		Emanuel Sharp offensive rebound
17:55		Emanuel Sharp turnover (lost ball) (Egor Demin steals)
17:51	+2	Trevin Knell makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists)	24-43
17:31	+2	Terrance Arceneaux makes two point layup	24-45
17:28		Richie Saunders shooting foul
17:28		Terrance Arceneaux misses regular free throw 1 of 1
17:28		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
17:15	+2	Keba Keita makes two point dunk (Dallin Hall assists)	26-45
16:51		Terrance Arceneaux misses three point jump shot
16:49		Cougars defensive rebound
16:23		Mawot Mag misses two point jump shot
16:21		Keba Keita offensive rebound
16:19		Keba Keita misses two point layup
16:17		Keba Keita offensive rebound
16:15	+2	Keba Keita makes two point layup	28-45
15:57		L.J. Cryer misses two point jump shot
15:55		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
15:40		Dallin Hall turnover (lost ball) (Joseph Tugler steals)
15:26		Dallin Hall personal foul
15:26		TV timeout
15:08		Milos Uzan misses two point jump shot
15:06		Mylik Wilson offensive rebound
15:02		Keba Keita personal foul
14:47		Terrance Arceneaux misses three point jump shot
14:45		Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound
14:41		L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
14:39		Keba Keita defensive rebound
14:22		Richie Saunders misses two point jump shot
14:20		Keba Keita offensive rebound
14:13	+2	Keba Keita makes two point dunk	30-45
13:59		Mawot Mag blocks Terrance Arceneaux's two point layup
13:57		Mawot Mag defensive rebound
13:55		Mawot Mag turnover (lost ball) (Mylik Wilson steals)
13:44		Terrance Arceneaux turnover (lost ball) (Dallin Hall steals)
13:41	+2	Richie Saunders makes two point dunk (Dallin Hall assists)	32-45
13:28		Keba Keita blocks Mylik Wilson's two point jump shot
13:26		Cougars offensive rebound
13:26		Cougars 30 second timeout
13:26		TV timeout
13:23	+3	Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Milos Uzan assists)	32-48
13:01		Trevin Knell turnover (lost ball) (L.J. Cryer steals)
12:43		Keba Keita personal foul
12:38	+3	Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot	32-51
12:16	+2	Keba Keita makes two point hook shot (Trey Stewart assists)	34-51
11:49		Trey Stewart personal foul
11:49		TV timeout
11:27		Cougars turnover (shot clock violation)
11:20		Emanuel Sharp personal foul
11:05		Trey Stewart misses three point jump shot
11:03		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
10:43		Richie Saunders shooting foul
10:43	+1	Milos Uzan makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-52
10:43	+1	Milos Uzan makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-53
10:29		Ja'Vier Francis blocks Fousseyni Traore's two point layup
10:27		Fousseyni Traore offensive rebound
10:25		Mylik Wilson personal foul
10:15		Emanuel Sharp shooting foul
10:15	+1	Dallin Hall makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-53
10:15	+1	Dallin Hall makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-53
9:55	+3	L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot (Mylik Wilson assists)	36-56
9:43		Ja'Vier Francis blocks Dawson Baker's two point layup
9:41		Emanuel Sharp defensive rebound
9:38		Trey Stewart personal foul
9:38	+1	Milos Uzan makes regular free throw 1 of 2	36-57
9:38	+1	Milos Uzan makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-58
9:12	+2	Fousseyni Traore makes two point hook shot (Egor Demin assists)	38-58
8:41	+2	Emanuel Sharp makes two point layup	38-60
8:32	+2	Egor Demin makes two point layup (Richie Saunders assists)	40-60
8:32		Emanuel Sharp shooting foul
8:32	+1	Egor Demin makes regular free throw 1 of 1	41-60
8:11		L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
8:09		Egor Demin defensive rebound
7:56		Dawson Baker misses two point jump shot
7:54		Richie Saunders offensive rebound
7:51	+3	Dawson Baker makes three point jump shot	44-60
7:22		Emanuel Sharp misses two point jump shot
7:20		Mylik Wilson offensive rebound
7:03		Richie Saunders personal foul
7:03		TV timeout
7:03	+1	L.J. Cryer makes regular free throw 1 of 2	44-61
7:03	+1	L.J. Cryer makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-62
6:53		Richie Saunders misses three point jump shot
6:51		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
6:33	+3	L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot	44-65
6:25	+3	Dawson Baker makes three point jump shot	47-65
5:53		Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot
5:51		Mylik Wilson offensive rebound
5:34		Milos Uzan misses two point jump shot
5:32		Richie Saunders defensive rebound
5:19		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
5:17		Joseph Tugler defensive rebound
4:52		Richie Saunders personal foul
4:52		L.J. Cryer misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:52		Keba Keita defensive rebound
4:40		Emanuel Sharp personal foul
4:29	+2	Keba Keita makes two point layup (Dallin Hall assists)	49-65
4:01	+2	Mylik Wilson makes two point jump shot	49-67
3:48		Trevin Knell misses three point jump shot
3:46		Keba Keita offensive rebound
3:46		Joseph Tugler personal foul
3:46		TV timeout
3:35		Dawson Baker misses two point jump shot
3:33		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
3:18		Milos Uzan misses two point jump shot
3:16		Cougars defensive rebound
3:06		Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot
3:04		Keba Keita offensive rebound
3:04		Joseph Tugler personal foul
3:04	+1	Keba Keita makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-67
3:04	+1	Keba Keita makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-67
2:41		Dallin Hall shooting foul
2:41	+1	Mylik Wilson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-68
2:41		Mylik Wilson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:41		Keba Keita defensive rebound
2:22	+3	Egor Demin makes three point jump shot (Dawson Baker assists)	54-68
2:09		Egor Demin personal foul
2:09	+1	Milos Uzan makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-69
2:09		Milos Uzan misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:09		Keba Keita defensive rebound
1:54		Keba Keita misses two point layup
1:52		Milos Uzan defensive rebound
1:37		Dallin Hall personal foul
1:37	+1	Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-70
1:37	+1	Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-71
1:12		Mihailo Boskovic misses three point jump shot
1:10		Cougars defensive rebound
1:05		Cedric Lath offensive foul
1:05		Cedric Lath turnover (offensive foul)
0:54		Egor Demin misses three point jump shot
0:52		Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
0:33		Mercy Miller misses two point jump shot
0:31		Mercy Miller offensive rebound
0:28	+3	Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Mylik Wilson assists)	54-74
0:11		Trey Stewart misses three point jump shot
0:09		Mercy Miller defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Mercy Miller defensive rebound