West Virginia goes cold in home loss vs. No. 22 BYU

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Fousseyni Traore had a season-high 24 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 22 BYU to an 86-73 victory over West Virginia on Saturday night.

Kerr Kriisa scored a season-high 23 points for West Virginia (8-14, 3-6 Big 12). Jesse Edwards added 16 points, and RaeQuan Battle scored 14.

Richie Saunders added 17 points, and Jaxson Robinson scored 15 for the Cougars (16-5, 4-4), who earned their second road win in five trips this season.

BYU, which is second nationally in 3-pointers made per game, was solid in the paint for the second straight contest, led by Traore. With center Aly Khalifa out with an illness, Traore was dominant from the start. He scored BYU’s first eight points and finished 10 of 15 from the floor.

When he wasn’t taking shots or setting screens, Traore was mixing it up near the basket, grabbing six rebounds on the offensive end.

West Virginia went more than six minutes without a field goal spanning both halves, whereas BYU made three 3-pointers in a three-minute span early in the second half and started pulling away.

Saunders’ three-point play gave the Cougars their largest lead: 56-39 with 13 minutes, 44 seconds left.

Kriisa answered with three 3-pointers, and Battle sank two free throws to cut the deficit to 70-65 with 5:26 left, but the Mountaineers got no closer.

BYU, which made 13 of 36 3-pointers, missed its first seven attempts from beyond the arc. The Cougars finished the first half on an 11-2 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Saunders, for a 38-29 halftime lead.

The Mountaineers still haven’t won consecutive games all season. They had the chance after beating Cincinnati at home Wednesday.

West Virginia plays next Saturday at Texas.