BYU ended their three-game losing streak in the final night of regular season basketball versus Texas Tech.
A three-game losing streak placed the number 19 ranked Cougars outside of the top 25 for the first time this season ahead of their matchup against number 10 Texas Tech.
BYU had already fallen to the Red Raiders earlier this season, but this time they would face a Texas Tech team without their star player, JT Toppin.
But BYU has also had their fair share of injuries, making head coach Kevin Young’s job a bit harder.
“It’s been a tough year coaching basically three different iterations of this team,” Young said. “The team we thought we were going to have, a couple of guys are done for the year, then Richie and that group and then he gets hurt and now you’re on your third iteration. So, you never stop learning as a coach, particularly when your team is constantly changing.”
During the game, BYU’s Richie Saunders, who went down a few weeks ago with a season-ending ACL injury, was seen coaching players on the sideline.
“Richie just wants to see us win,” Young said. “He wants to do anything he can to help, and I thought he was a steadying voice over there during the game. His leadership is the reason we were able to get the win.”
BYU took the 82-76 win over Texas Tech after a huge second half effort from Rob Wright III, posting 23 of his 27 points in the second half. After the game, he was asked where this performance would rank on his all-time performances list.
“I think that one might be number one now,” Wright said.
Wright has had some big shoes to fill since Saunders’ season ending injury, being asked to take on a leadership role as a sophomore in his first year with the program.
“Coach has been on me a lot about just trying to embrace that role because Richie went down,” Wright said. “So, I feel like I’m just taking steps and trying to keep growing it throughout the season and I think my teammates have really helped me.”
This win placed BYU at the number 10 seed in the Big 12 Championship bracket, where they will host the number 15 Kansas State Wildcats on Tuesday.