BYU basketball gets off to a 2-0 start over UC Riverside

PROVO — If there was a moment when BYU men’s basketball endured a sluggish first half in its second game of the season against Big West rival UC Riverside, it may have been the final play of the half on Friday night.

At that point, Egor Demin took the ball from a long timeout by the referees, dribbled at the top of the key and drove to the rim for a shot as time expired to put the Cougars ahead by 7 points.

Like Demin’s dribbling, it was all downhill from there.

The Russian international had 20 points, five rebounds and seven assists and Fousseyni Traore added 13 points and six boards as BYU improved to 2-0 with an 86-80 victory over the Highlanders in front of an announced crowd of 17,381 fans at the Marriott Center.

Keba Keita totaled 14 points, 10 rebounds and two assists and Richie Saunders had 12 points with six rebounds for the Cougars, who outscored UC Riverside 48-14 on the season.

Kaleb Smith scored 20 points, including 3 of 7 from 3-point range, for the Highlanders (0-2), who got 18 points from Nate Pickens and 16 points from Isaiah Moses.

Reigning Big West Freshman of the Year Barrington Hargress scored 16 points and four assists for UC Riverside, which was picked to finish fourth in the Big West as one of three teams awarded the No. 1 seed.

After the visitors’ slow start, Moses capped a 12-2 run with a three-pointer midway through the first half, bringing the Highlanders within 18-15.

Smith tied the game at 20-29 a minute later with a basket off the glass, then tied the game again at 29-29 with another three-pointer with 4:29 left to score 13 points in the first half.

Keta and Traore combined for 19 points and 10 rebounds, but the Cougars shot just 2 of 11 from 3-point range and led only 40-33 at the end of the first half on Demin’s dunk.

The Moscow, Russia, native scored 10 points, four rebounds and four assists for Real Madrid for BYU, which outscored the Highlanders 24-4 in the league.

Kanon Catchings’ 3-pointer capped a 10-2 run as the Cougars knocked down two of their first attempts from deep to start the second half.

After opening the first half 0-for-3 from the field, Kanon Catchings had nine points, five rebounds, two blocks and a steal after halftime in a game in which BYU never trailed.

This story will be updated.