SPOKANE, Wash. — BYU needed a physical presence if it hoped to contend with 14th-ranked Gonzaga in an ESPN-broadcast game Saturday night.

It needed big bodies. It needed someone who could command the post.

In short, it needed Luke Worthington.

The 6-foot-10, 235-pound former football player from Wisconsin did his part Saturday night, scoring 16 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting night in the Cougars’ 68-60 loss to the Bulldogs (21-4, 11-1 WCC).

"People are going to be able to contribute in this offense, depending on how they guard you," Worthington said. "I got a couple of easy looks around the basket, and those are shots that I plan on making.

"I was glad to be able to contribute, but I wish I had a few more of them to walk out with a win."

Worthington's 16 points were a career-high, and the first double-digit scoring night since a 95-88 win over Niagara in the fourth game of the season. His three rebounds were also just three off a season-best, set Nov. 25 in a 68-66 win over UMass.

It wasn’t enough to get the Cougars' third-straight win in Spokane. But it was enough to impress his teammates and coaches.

"No one can guard Luke on the block," said BYU forward Yoeli Childs, who had 14 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. "He's a very frustrating guy to guard. He makes the right reads, he finishes inside, and he showed that tonight.

"I'm very proud of the way he played."

Worthington started each of the first 17 games of the season, but was moved to the bench after BYU’s 67-66 loss at Pacific back on Jan. 6 to make room for stretch-forward Zac Seljaas in the starting lineup. Saturday was just his second start since then, and it came as the Cougars were reeling following a 76-69 loss at LMU on Thursday.

But Worthington’s emergence brought life back to BYU (18-7, 7-5 WCC).

"It was a completely different team today, and I’m really proud of our guys and how we competed," Worthington said. "It sucks, and we can’t count it as a win. But we played hard, and if we can play like that, we are going to have a great February and this can be a very successful team in March."

One more foul?

The Cougars had a chance to win late in Saturday night’s loss.

TJ Haws, who scored a game-high 22 points for the Cougars, tied the game at 59-59 during a run of 10-straight points that ended with a jumper with 2:37 left.

But it was the final field goal the Cougars made.

After tying the game, Haws had another chance to go ahead late. But when the former Lone Peak standout drove to the rim before what BYU coach Dave Rose insinuated was a blocking foul, the officiating crew made no call and Gonzaga ended the game on an 8-1 run, including the final six points.

"I thought we could’ve gotten the benefit of a whistle or two that could’ve helped us through it, but they were really good when it counted," BYU coach Dave Rose said of Gonzaga. "It’s a talented, athletic, physical team, and we needed to execute better in those spots.

"All we needed to do was make a couple more plays, and it could’ve been a different night."

Student-crazed

Gonzaga’s student section was fired up for the Cougars’ first trip to the Kennel since winning three-in-a-row in Spokane.

The Kennel Club filled up nearly an hour before tipoff, boasting loud cheers, karaoke and accompanied versions of Bon Jovi’s "Living on a Prayer" — well before a basketball hit the floor in regulation.

Students, who did not dress like missionaries for the LDS Church, also held signs that read, "BYU doesn’t eat Tide pods" and "Gods (sic) on our side," among others.

Gonzaga administrators were on hand to remind students not to dress as LDS Church missionaries for the Bulldogs' game against BYU, which is owned by the LDS church. Former Davis High star Jesse Wade, who recently returned from a two-year mission, is also a freshman for the Zags.

While there were no missionaries, there was a sighting of the pope (or one of them, at least), a Power Ranger, a student dressed like Jesus, and Frozone from Disney's "The Incredibles."

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