BYU Suffers Lopsided Home Loss to UCF

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Last Saturday, BYU put together its best performance of the season in a convincing win over Iowa State. Just three days later, BYU suffered its worst defeat of the year, losing to UCF by 36 points at home. The Cougars trailed by 24 at halftime and the deficit only grew in the second half, as UCF shot 58% from three-point range while BYU struggled to make even open layups. The loss comes as a major setback for BYU, which now has only three regular season games left to find its footing before March.

Why it matters

This embarrassing home loss raises serious questions about BYU's ability to compete at a high level, especially on the defensive end where the team has struggled for the past six weeks. The Cougars had appeared to turn a corner with their strong performance against Iowa State, but now they've taken a major step back just as the regular season is winding down.

The details

BYU trailed UCF by as many as 36 points in the second half. The Cougars went on a late run to make the final score look more competitive, but the game was effectively over by halftime when BYU found itself down 24 points. On defense, BYU allowed wide-open looks throughout the night, with UCF shooting 58% from three-point range. The Cougars' offensive struggles compounded their defensive woes, as they shot just 43% on layups while UCF dominated in the paint.

• Last Saturday, BYU put together its best performance of the season in a convincing win over Iowa State.
• Just three days later, BYU suffered its worst defeat of the year, losing to UCF by 36 points at home.

What they’re saying

What’s next

BYU will go on the road for a pair of pivotal games at WVU and at Cincinnati as they look to rebound from this lopsided defeat.