LAS VEGAS–It took the Cougars half the game to decide how much better they were than the lowly Rams. The conference champs carried only a six-point advantage into the half, but gained distance in the second half, outscoring their opponent 49-28. BYU’s Lee Cummard led a Cougar effort that shot a blistering 65.2 percent from the field. He converted on six of his nine shots and finished the game with 18 points and seven assists. Cummard’s usual partner in crime, Trent Plaisted, struggled in the game, finishing with 11 points and just two rebounds while turning the ball over seven times. The Mountain West Conference’s scoring champion, Marcus Walker, shot a paltry 3-of-11 from the field and finished with only nine points.
BYU will now face a San Diego State team that beat Air Force 53-49.