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SALT LAKE CITY — The BYU men's basketball team's season ended on April 2 in New York City with a 76-70 loss to Baylor in the semi-finals of the National Invitational Tournament.
BYU finished the season with a 24-12 season, with a 10-6 conference record. The conference run brought hope for the future to a season that had ended as bleak as the winter skies they practiced under during the season.
With the last game having been played, here are three of the top plays from the season.
Cusick game-winner versus Utah State
The game against Utah State was one of the best games of the season. Spencer Butterfield helped lead the Aggies back from an 11-point halftime deficit to tie the game with 58 seconds remaining at 68-68.
Brandon Davies missed a jumper on the next possession after Butterfield tied the score, but Tyler Haws secured the rebound to give BYU the final shot of the game.
After the timeout, Matt Carlino dribbled the ball to the top of the perimeter, pulled up, and missed a shot, with the ball clanging off the front of the rim. Craig Cusick was "Johnny on the spot," however, and grabbed the rebound, putting up a shot before the clock expired.
The ball hit nothing but net on Cusick's attempt, and the Cougars took the lead, 70-68. The game-winning shot was the only basket on the night for Cusick, who had started the game and played 27 minutes, missing his first six attempts.
After the game, Cusick announced that his father had checked into a hospital earlier in the day, having been diagnosed with cancer. The game-winning shot over an in-state rival was a powerful way to end an emotional day for the senior guard.
Haws drops 42 on Virginia Tech
Tyler Haws returned from his mission in the Phillipines to have one of the greatest seasons for a sophomore in BYU basketball history. He reached the 1,000 point mark this year, joining Danny Ainge as the second sophomore to reach that mark.
While Haws had many great moments this season - the shot he made against St. Mary's before Dellavedova's buzzer beater was a thing of beauty - his best scoring game of the season came in Salt Lake City against the Hokies of Virginia Tech.
Haws started the game with 29 points in the first half, making six of eight shots from beyond the arc and 9 of 13 overall. Haws slowed down a little in the second half, but finished the game with 42 points, a career high. Not only was the scoring explosion a career high, but it bested father Marty Haws' career scoring record of 40 points, a mark set 23 years ago against Siena.
Haws finished the season with an average of 21.7 points per game, good for seventh overall in the country. He scored more than 20 points in all but 11 games this season, and averaged 27.75 points per game in the NIT.
Brandon Davies sets career-high against Weber State
Davies senior year was the best statistical year of his career, and he finished with 17.7 points per game and led the Cougars in rebounding.
Against Weber State, ten days before Christmas, Davies put the Wildcats front court to shame, making 14 of 17 from the floor and making five of six free throws for a career-best 33 points.
Davies scored from all over the court, powering to the rim for dunks, spinning for layups, and knocking down jumpers from inside the perimeter.
BYU needed the help, winning the game 78-68. Davies would continue to have a good season, helping lead the Cougars into the NIT. While the team had a goal to make the NCAA tournament, Davies can take pride in a wonderful career at Brigham Young University.
