BYU’s Season Comes to a Close

The Cougars have wrapped up their season after a 79-71 loss to No. 11 seed Texas in the first round of March Madness on Thursday night.

Texas played efficiently, with four players scoring in double digits. Matas Vokietaitis stood out, leading the Longhorns with 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting, along with 16 rebounds. It was quite a performance, really.

Longhorns head coach Sean Miller praised Vokietaitis during a post-game interview, saying, “I thought Matas had a great game.”

Throughout the match, Texas maintained control, leading by nine points at halftime and sustaining their advantage in the second half.

BYU forward AJ DiVanza put on a show with 35 points, but unfortunately, support from the bench was non-existent.

Before the game, Coach Miller had emphasized the importance of keeping DiVanza from getting into foul trouble. “Our plan was we couldn’t let him foul and get us ejected, and other guys couldn’t have a great night for him,” he noted. It seems like they were really focused on that strategy.

Miller also expressed some doubts about their ability to contain DiVanza, admitting, “I don’t think you can do that.” He further explained, “We have to do the best job we can and we can’t accumulate fouls. That’s not going to allow the team to perform at its best.” In a strange way, there’s a sense of resignation in his words.

Divanza’s impressive stats—averaging 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists—underscore why he’s considered one of the top prospects for this year’s NBA Draft.

Next up, Texas is set to face the winner of the Gonzaga versus Kennesaw State matchup in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.