Traore scores 22, Knell adds 20 to help BYU erase 17-point deficit and beat TCU 87-75
BYU guard Dallin Hall, left, has the ball knocked away by TCU forward Chuck O'Bannon Jr., center, as BYU center Aly Khalifa, right, looks on during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Provo, Utah. Credit: AP/George Frey
PROVO, Utah — Fousseyni Traore scored 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, Trevin Knell added 20 points, including four 3-pointers, and BYU erased a 17-point halftime deficit to beat TCU 87-75 Saturday night.
Dallin Hall scored 12 points, Richie Saunders 11 and Spencer Johnson 10 for BYU (21-8, 9-7 Big 12).
Saunders hit a jumper and followed 15 seconds later with a 3-pointer that gave the Cougars the lead for good at 65-62 with 7:32 left amid a 12-0 spurt, capped about a minute later when Traore made a layup. Jameer Nelson Jr. answered with a jumper that ended a 3-minute scoring drought for the Horned Frogs, but BYU scored 12 of the next 15 points to push the lead into double figures for good.
Emanuel Miller led TCU (19-10, 8-8) with 15 points. Nelson scored 14 and Trevian Tennyson 12.
The Cougars made 12 of 30 (40%) from the field, hit 1 of 13 from 3-point range and committed eight of their 11 turnovers in the first half as TCU closed on a 23-7 run to take a 46-29 lead into intermission. Knell hit two 3s and Traore scored five points in a 15-0 run that made it a one-point game with 12:53 to play.
BYU was 20-of-31 (64.5%) shooting, including 8 of 15 from behind the arc, and scored 58 points in the second half.
TCU plays Wednesday at West Virginia. BYU visits No. 8 Iowa State on Wednesday.
TCU forward Essam Mostafa, left, defends BYU forward Fousseyni Traore (45) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Provo, Utah. Credit: AP/George Frey
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