PROVO, Utah (AP) — Jaxson Robinson made eight 3-pointers and scored 28 points, both career bests, to lead No. 18 BYU past Denver 90-74 on Wednesday night.
Noah Waterman finished with 22 points and a career-high 14 rebounds for his first double-double with the Cougars. Spencer Johnson added 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
BYU (9-1) shot 50% from the field and coasted to its seventh double-digit win of the season. The Cougars had a 15-9 edge in fast-break points and a 16-9 advantage in second-chance points.
Jaxon Brenchley led Denver with a career-high 21 points and seven rebounds. It was Brenchley’s first game back in his home state since joining the Pioneers as a graduate transfer from Utah. Tommy Bruner added 15 points.
Denver (6-5) trailed from start to finish in its second consecutive game against a Top 25 opponent. The Pioneers shot just 22% from 3-point range.
BYU scored four straight baskets to spark a 14-4 run and take a 24-12 lead midway through the first half.
Gaining ground on the Cougars proved to be a chore for the Pioneers. Denver made a single basket over a five-minute stretch — a jumper from DeAndre Craig — as BYU extended its lead.
The Cougars hit five 3s over the final seven minutes of the first half while building a 45-25 halftime lead. Robinson accounted for three of those long jumpers.
BYU led by as many as 27 in the second half.
BIG PICTURE
Denver: The Pioneers faced ranked opponents in back-to-back games for the first time since 1957. They lost 90-80 at then-No. 13 Colorado State last week. Denver never seriously threatened BYU after failing to hold the high-powered Cougars offense in check beyond the game’s first few minutes.
BYU: Tough defense helped the Cougars stay a step ahead early while they found their footing on offense. BYU blocked five shots before halftime and totaled seven overall. Robinson and Waterman combined for five of the seven blocks.
UP NEXT
Denver hosts Adams State on Monday.
BYU hosts Georgia State on Saturday.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
