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It was an evening of celebrations Saturday on the Marriott Heart and, at instances alongside the best way, BYU followers had been partying prefer it was 1981.
At halftime, the varsity paid tribute to the revered 1981 Cougar basketball workforce that superior to the Elite Eight of NCAA Event — a feat that’s by no means been matched at BYU — and 14,857 Cougar trustworthy confirmed as much as cheer for them, in addition to the present BYU workforce.
The 2021-22 Cougars made the ’81 squad proud with an entertaining 78-65 victory over Portland.
So much has modified in 41 years — BYU has gone from the Western Athletic Convention to the West Coast Convention, and the sport is far completely different, too — however there have been magical moments Saturday when the sensation within the Marriott Heart was paying homage to previous glories.
Members of the ’81 workforce, and the teaching workers, attended the pregame shootaround, and coach Mark Pope broke his sacrosanct pregame protocol to talk to them for a few minutes as they dined.
Pope felt humbled.
“These guys have performed one thing that’s by no means been performed right here. To assume that they’re keen to stroll on this fitness center and watch us battle and assist us is unimaginable,” Pope mentioned.
“We speak about this the entire time. We get to stroll in with 15,000, 18,000 on this constructing as a result of these guys constructed this unimaginable fan base. After they had been enjoying, it was 23,000 each single evening. They constructed this generational love for this college.”
That generational love was on full show in a wide range of methods Saturday.
After a 3-pointer late within the first half, BYU’s Seneca Knight slapped the hand of a younger fan on the entrance row.
“I shot it and rotated after which the child put his hand out,” Knight mentioned. “It was nice to rejoice with him.”
Whereas most of the gamers on that 1981 workforce are of their 60s, one in every of them, Greg Kite, took time after the sport to speak to freshman huge man Atiki Ally Atiki within the locker room and share his information.
“It’s enjoyable having these guys round,” Pope mentioned.
Saturday additionally marked freshman Fousseyni Traore’s birthday. Some old-timers within the crowd examine his exceptional rebounding skill to Steve Trumbo from the ’81 workforce.
Traore recorded one other double-double Saturday with 13 factors and 10 rebounds. He was additionally 6 of 6 from the sector and had 4 assists.
“What can I say about this Fouss? Six-for-six, on his birthday?” Knight mentioned. “That’s loopy.”
The Cougars fell behind by seven early however, as they're wont to do, completed the primary half sturdy.
Knight, who scored 14 factors, together with 4 of 9 from 3-point vary, picked up a few early fouls however drilled back-to-back 3s within the ultimate minute of the half to provide BYU (17-4, 5-1) a 39-34 halftime lead.
And the Cougars by no means appeared again.
“All of them got here to me and advised me to maintain taking pictures,” Knight mentioned of his teammates. “To have the ability to give them that spark and simply realizing that they imagine in me and realizing I used to be capable of fulfill what they had been asking me to do, it felt nice.”
The Cougars took management within the second half and led by as many as 20.
Guard Te’Jon Lucas turned in an excellent efficiency, scoring a game-high 16 factors and dispensing seven assists.
Ahead Caleb Lohner scored BYU’s first seven factors of the sport and completed with 13 factors and 5 rebounds.
On an evening when its star, Alex Barcello — this workforce’s equal of Danny Ainge — had a modest 9 factors, the remainder of the Cougars picked up the scoring slack.
“We’re rising. Te’Jon was unbelievable within the first half. Sen was unbelievable within the first half,” Pope mentioned. “How about these guys ending the half? This workforce has some magic. It has nothing to do with teaching, both. They’re good, high-IQ, really feel the significance of the second. We completed the final minute of the half — each sport it’s been actually particular they usually did it once more.
“All people noticed Atiki take one other step tonight. We’re seeing Fouss develop each single evening,” Pope added. “And Caleb Lohner took a step ahead tonight. And Seneca Knight took an actual step ahead tonight. That’s tremendous necessary for our workforce to achieve our ceiling.”
The Pilots (10-9, 1-3) entered the evening ranked No. 1 nationally in free-throw proportion, taking pictures 81.6%. However Saturday, they made simply 9 of 18 from the charity stripe.
Pope, in fact, credited the scholar part, the ROC, for its free-throw protection.
“That’s the scholar part, child! That’s the magic of enjoying on this constructing. They’ve been nice for us all 12 months,” he mentioned. “They take pleasure in it. The place is there a basketball surroundings with a pupil part like that? I don’t assume there's one. That they had a big impact on the sport.”
All in all, it was an evening that carried on the legacy of that 1981 workforce.
“We stroll into this constructing and there’s 15,000 folks, and the best, most completed workforce ever to compete for BYU have put apart their lives for a few hours to come back assist these guys and watch these guys,” Pope mentioned.
“That’s tremendous humbling. … My final remark to them was, ‘We’ve acquired to take you guys off the board as probably the most completed workforce.’ We’ve acquired to discover a strategy to do it in some way. It’s actually particular.”
BYU visits Santa Clara subsequent Thursday.
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