Cougars Claim ESPN Events Invitational Title with Second-Half Surge Over dayton
KISSIMMEE,Fla. – BYU secured the championship title at the ESPN Events Invitational Friday night, defeating Dayton 83-79 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. The victory improves the Cougars’ season record to 6-1.
BYU continued a recent trend, overcoming a first-half deficit with a dominant second-half performance. After trailing at halftime, the Cougars opened the third quarter with a 26-4 run, fueled by a 15-0 stretch following a Dayton 3-pointer.
Dayton battled back,tying the game at 70 with just over three minutes remaining and closing the gap to two points in the final seconds. Though, clutch baskets from Richie Saunders and AJ Dybantsa sealed the win for BYU.The Cougars struggled from the field in the first half, making only eight field goals, but found their rhythm after the break, connecting on 11 of their first 17 shots of the second half.
BYU exploded for 53 second-half points, shooting 65.6% from the field and 63.6% from three-point range in the final frame.
The Cougars’ offensive effort was largely carried by their core trio of Saunders, Dybantsa, and Rob Wright III, who combined for 70 of BYU’s 83 points. Saunders led all scorers with a career-high 29 points,adding eight rebounds,two assists,three steals,and six made three-pointers,earning tournament MVP honors. Wright contributed 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, with three rebounds, two steals, and six assists. Dybantsa added 18 points, 13 in the second half, along with four rebounds and three assists.
notably, BYU’s scoring came entirely from its starting five. Keba Keita added eight points, and Kennard Davis Jr. chipped in five. The remaining four Cougars who saw playing time combined for just three field goal attempts, missing all of them, though Khadim Mboup secured six defensive rebounds.
The lack of bench production comes after dawson Baker sustained what appeared to be a serious lower body injury on Thursday and was seen in a wheelchair on Friday. His absence could significantly impact BYU’s depth, as Baker is a key veteran player and shooter.
the Cougars will need contributions from their bench players as they prepare for Big 12 play.
