Bigger, Better: BYU big men dominate paint

PROVO — For the first time this season BYU didn't box around with a bunch of hobbits.

Saint Mary's pitched a cadre of big men at the Cougars Friday night in the Marriott Center but Rafael Araujo, Jake Shoff, Jared Jensen and Garner Meads found a way to hold their own in BYU's 70-55 win.

"This was like it's going to be playing Utah, Colorado State and Wyoming in our league," BYU coach Steve Cleveland said. Even so, Araujo had a career-high five blocked shots.

The Gaels, who should have knocked off Arizona and USC of the Pac-10 earlier this season, battled the Cougars inside the key and with penetration from the wings in the first half. But in heat of the fray it was point guard Luiz Lemes (17 points), and his seven straight points to start the second half that fired up the Cougars and busted open a close game.

"Our fast break wasn't working and coach told me to push the ball up the court to start the second half," Lemes said. "So I pushed it hard and looked for our wings or Jared (Jensen) or Rafael (Araujo) and when they weren't open, I shot the ball."

Lemes, who Cleveland labeled as never nervous, also had a career-high three steals.

The win lifted BYU to a 10-2 mark and the 55 points was the lowest output of the season for the Gaels, who dropped to 8-6. The win marked BYU's 40th straight win over non-conference foes at home.

Saint Mary's came at the Cougars with 7-foot-1 Blake Sholberg, 6-8 Frederic Adjiwanou and 6-10 Daniel Kickert. "That none of their bigs scored in double figures showed me something," Cleveland said.

With BYU leading 37-33 at the break, Lemes scored a lay-in off a fastbreak and then nailed a three-pointer. His 10-foot jumper gave him all seven points scored by either team in four minutes and the Cougars led by 11 at 44-33 and never were threatened seriously again.

"I thought our defense was a big factor during that time," Cleveland said. "Luiz had a great game but all of our guys, especially Jake, Rafael, Jared and Garner really did a great job playing their guys, contesting and allowing just one shot. Our guards and wings really denied them the ball the second half."

Araujo, battling a sore back, scored 17 points with nine rebounds. He also had five blocks, three of them in Lemes' scoring binge when the Gaels failed to score in their first seven possessions of the second half.