Spencer Johnson excels as starter, and 4 takeaways from BYU's 109-69 exhibition win

PROVO — Aided by the boost of his "fifth meal" of midnight protein shakes made by his wife, Izzy, that helped him gain 18 pounds in the offseason, Spencer Johnson went to bed Tuesday night unlike any time before in his BYU career.

For 61-straight games, Johnson prepared to come off the bench. For better or worse, that was his role.

His role changed Wednesday in the Cougars' exhibition finale — for the better.

Johnson totaled 16 points, six steals and three assists, and Rudi Williams added 15 points and six assists as the Cougars rolled to a 109-69 win over Ottawa (Arizona) in the Cougars' preseason exhibition finale Wednesday night at the Marriott Center.

It won't count as his first career start in the BYU record books, but Johnson did enough to make sure it probably won't be his last, either.

"Spencer was ridiculous tonight. I thought he was so good," BYU coach Mark Pope said. "For two years, he could've made an incredibly compelling argument that he should've been a starter. That matters, but it's not the most important thing — and he never let it become the most important thing.

"You talk about a dude who is primed and ready to step into a starting role. It's a gift as a coach."

Atiki Ally Atiki added 14 points and five rebounds off the bench for BYU, which shot 59% from the field and held the Spirit to 36%. Jaxson Robinson had 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, and freshman Dallin Hall supplied 10 points and four assists off the bench for BYU.

Fousseyni Traore had 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Gideon George added 8 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Cougars.

Johnson got the start and made good use of his early minutes with back-to-back 3s for a team that made 15-of-31 from deep and totaled 45 rebounds.

"One thing I've always talked about is that it doesn't matter who starts; it matters who finishes," Johnson said. "But I've worked really hard, and it felt so good to hear my name.

"It's even better to get the win."

But for all that he did on offense, and it was plenty, Johnson shined the most on defense. The redshirt junior with 61 games of experience at BYU — all off the bench — had three steals in the first half, and added three more after the break before retiring following 22 minutes of play.

Johnson, whose collegiate career began at Weber State before transferring to Utah Valley and then Salt Lake Community College prior to enrolling at BYU, was the steady hand of leadership against an NAIA squad that returned 10 players from last year, including all five starters and the top seven scorers.

The Cougars used a 14-0 run capped by Robinson's 3-pointer and Williams' rebound with an unlaced shoe to take a 43-26 lead later in the first half, and never looked back.

BYU was a clean 7-of-14 from 3-point range in the first half, including a perfect 3-for-3 from Johnson and 3-for-4 from Robinson en route to 55% from the field and a 51-35 lead at the break and never looked back.

Here are four other observations from the Cougars' win in their final preseason exhibition before Monday's regular-season opener against Idaho State.

Run it up

Good, bad, better or indifferent, BYU's style of play is still being reshaped on a roster that features a dozen new players.

One thing that's for sure: The Cougars are going to play fast.

BYU scored 26 points on the fast break, and converted 27 turnovers into 40 points against an Ottawa team that won a program-record 25 games a year ago and advanced to the second round of the NAIA Tournament for the first time in school history.

Shots don't fall every night, but the defense causing 27 turnovers can be replicated. So as much as his offensive night was an honor, Johnson's bigger takeaway from the the Cougars' DIM — that's defensive impact metric, measuring deflections, steals, charges and blocks that the team tracks every day.

"It's huge, and we're really pushing this team to be disruptive on defense," Johnson said. "Obviously, it was really important tonight and it's going to be important every day. It's reproducible."

Substitution patterns

Johnson wasn't the first player subbed off the floor, either. Noah Waterman and Atiki replaced Robinson and Traore at the first media timeout of the NAIA exhibition that BYU never trailed.

The duo even connected on a bucket a few minutes later, with Waterman feeding Atiki in the post as the Cougars shot 55% from the field in the first half.

In all, 13 players saw time on the court in the preseason finale, and all but one of them scored. Trevin Knell (shoulder) and walk-on freshman Hao Dong (ankle) were out with an injury.

Shooters shoot

Pope likes to tell his players to "own their shot," and seemingly everyone on the team has the green light to shoot.

The Cougars shot 55% from the field in the first half, including 7-of-14 from deep. Johnson was perfect from deep, and Robinson almost so; but Gideon George, Waterman and Trey Start also shot multiple 3s.

In all, the Cougars were 15-of-31 from beyond the arc.

It wasn't just take-and-shake, though. Pope tells his players to own their shots and don't be afraid if they're open, but he's also not shy in convincing his team to set up their teammates, shunning one a good look for a great one.

Turnover town

It wasn't all good, even in an exhibition against an NAIA opponent.

BYU committed 19 turnovers against an Ottawa team that helped lead to 109 total shots

In one span, the Cougars committed three turnovers in 53 seconds while the all-sub lineup that included two freshmen and a transfer.

Pope noticed it, but also shrugged off the first-game turnover woes.

"The one thing about the turnovers that I was okay with was that a lot of those turnovers came with us trying to do what we're trying to learn," Pope said. "Clearly we're not going to win any games when we have 19 turnovers, but we're in a massive growth place right now. So, as long as we're turning the ball over trying to accomplish what we're trying to do, it's ok, we're learning.

"I'm going to be super patient."

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