NIT Tournament Game Recap: BYU vs. Mercer

Feb. 28, 2013; Provo, UT, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Elias Harris (20) defends against Brigham Young Cougars forward Brandon Davies (0) during the second half at the Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas C. Pizac-USA Today Sports

In an NIT 2nd round game, the BYU Cougars lit up the scoreboard in a 90-71 route of the Mercer Bears. The player that popped off the screen in this contest is BYU forward Brandon Davies. The Mercer frontcourt had very little success slowing down Davies, as he led the Cougars in both scoring and rebounding (26 points, 10 rebounds). On top of the points and rebounds, Davies contributed 3 assists and 2 steals. The offense ran through Davies all night, and his success in the low post opened up opportunities for shooters such as Matt Carlino and Tyler Haws.

Speaking of shooting, BYU got hot from behind the 3-point line at the start of the game, and never seemed to cool off. As a whole, BYU was 10 of 24 (41.7%) from the 3-point line. Carlino was 5 of 10 from 3 (50%) and hit some tough shots with a defender right in his face. His hot shooting was a big reason why the Cougars were able to establish a lead early on.

In the second half, BYU’s leading scorer, Tyler Haws, was much more involved in the offense and did a great job knocking down shots. Haws, who only had 8 points in the first half, utilized ball screens very well in the second half. There is a reason this guy is such a fantastic scorer, and his ability to employ ball screens is as good of a reason as any.

The BYU Cougars will take on the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles on Wednesday for a berth to the Final Four of the NIT and a trip to Madison Square Garden. The Southern Eagles took down LA Tech in their 2nd round match up on Monday.