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Provo • Yeah, it has been a pretty good week for coach Dave Rose and his BYU basketball program.
After Rose signed a new five-year contract on Monday, and the school announced some major upgrades to the Marriott Center and plans for a basketball practice facility on Tuesday, the Cougars played like they were hell-bent on not ruining the weeklong celebration on Thursday.
Leading throughout and playing perhaps their best game of the season, the Cougars walloped Saint Mary's 82-60 in front of a crowd of 14,317.
"That was a great crowd, a good atmosphere," Rose said after beating the West Coast Conference's second-place team. "I thought our guys responded to it really well."
BYU improved to 19-8 overall, 9-5 in WCC play, and took over sole possession of third place because Pepperdine lost at Portland. The Gaels, who seemed out of sorts from the get-go and played nothing like they did last month in an 82-77 win over BYU at home, dropped to 18-6 and 10-3.
Four Cougars reached double figures, led by Kyle Collinsworth with 17 points and nine rebounds, but the biggest spark again was provided by seldom-used senior Josh Sharp. Making his second consecutive start because senior guard Anson Winder was unavailable with a pulled groin, Sharp had eight points, six rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes.
Not bad for a guy who had not played in four of the five games leading to Saturday's 87-68 win at Loyola Marymount.
"Josh Sharp has really given us a lift the last two games," Rose acknowledged. "… I think we found a little part of ourselves that could help us down the stretch."
Rose wasn't ready to say it was his team's best all-around performance of the season, grousing a bit about the last three minutes of the first half when SMC went on a 9-2 run to trim what had been four separate 19-point deficits to 42-30.
The Cougars famously blew a 13-point halftime lead at Pepperdine a week ago and lost 80-74, but they roared out of the locker room this time, scoring on seven of their first eight possessions.
Chase Fischer, who had 14 points and four rebounds, including 4 of 5 shooting from 3-point range in the first half, said the players looked at each other at halftime before the coaches entered the locker room and decided there would be no repeat of the Malibu meltdown.
"It was one of our best games, for sure," Fischer said. "I think we put it all together well. … It is up there with how well we've ever played, and we are in a nice groove right now."
Brad Waldow torched the Cougars for 24 points and 14 rebounds in Moraga, but the longtime BYU nemesis was contained Thursday night. He had to labor hard against Corbin Kaufusi's defense and some double-teaming and managed 17 points and five rebounds. Garrett Jackson added 13 and Kerry Carter 11.
In addition to holding his own against Waldow, Kaufusi had five rebounds and four blocks in his fifth start since wresting the honors from sophomore Luke Worthington.
"The guy is an animal," Sharp said of the freshman center.
Tyler Haws picked up two early fouls and only scored six points in six minutes in the first half, but keyed the run a few minutes into the second half that put the Gaels away for good. Haws finished with 15. The Cougars had 10 fast-break points, including a Haws layup after Kaufusi blocked a shot at the other end and Fischer found him gliding toward the basket.
"That was really pretty," Rose said.
Really, it was just the continuation of what has been a beautiful week for the 10-year head coach.
"Yeah, it has, actually," he said with a smile.
The Cougars return to the Marriott Center on Saturday to host Pacific.
Twitter: @drewjay —
Storylines
R The Cougars never trail in a blowout over the WCC's second-place team.
• Josh Sharp gets eight points, six rebounds and five assists in place of the injured Anson Winder.
• Kyle Collinsworth's 17 points lead the Cougars.