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PROVO — On a night when the BYU Cougars were faced with the threat of playing their final game of the season, the team stepped up and found a way to victory, winning 90-79 over the University of Washington Huskies on Tuesday night in Provo.
The secret to success for BYU this season has been the play of its "Big Three," Brandon Davies, Tyler Haws, and Matt Carlino. The team leaders rose to the challenge against a good Washington team, combining to score 79 points, equalling the scoring output by Washington.
Haws was unstoppable the entire game, scoring 19 points in the second half to seal the game for BYU.
But one player stood out in the second half when the team needed him the most — the sophomore point guard from Scottsdale, Ariz.
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Carlino struggled in the first half, coughing up the ball four times and scoring two points in eight minutes of play. He had two points, one rebound, and zero assists — things were not rolling his way. The Cougars went into halftime with the Huskies leading 35-33, with the momentum ever so slightly in favor of the visiting team.
During halftime, Coach Dave Rose needed to make adjustments, and recalibrate his young guard.
"We encouraged him (Carlino) as a staff in front of the team, and I pulled him aside and had some words for him," Rose said.
"He was just pumping me up, telling me to go play and have fun," Carlino said about the halftime conversation. "We really got rolling, I was just having fun."
Got rolling, indeed. After Washington forward Shawn Kemp Jr. tied the game at 45 all, Carlino helped jumpstart a 13-2 run, with a steal, an assist, and a 3-pointer. With a comfortable lead, the Cougars were able to fend off the remainder of the challenges by the Huskies and win the game.
"I'm happy for him because he's a great competitor," Rose said. "He had a great half, and led us to that win. We needed that leadership from that position down the stretch to win that game, and he was terrific.
Carlino finished with 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes of play. The 32 percent 3-point shooter knocked down four of eight attempts, helping stretch the floor for Haws' mid-range game and Davies' efforts in the post.
"He made some great passes in transition and we were able to score at the rim," Rose said. "He put together a great half and down the stretch, he was terrific."
Carlino was able to put the finishing touches on the game, making all six of his free throw attempts in the final 2:02 of the contest and helping keep the Huskies from making one last grasp at a victory.
With the win, the team is assured a second-round game in the NIT. BYU will play the winner of Wednesday's game between Tennessee and Mercer that will be played in Thompson-Boling Arena, home of the Volunteers. Information for the Cougars' next game will be released after the Wednesday night game.
Dan Lewis covers BYU sports for KSL.com. He is currently attending Brigham Young University, studying communications with an emphasis in multimedia journalism.
