16-0 OT run lifts BYU over SDSU

PROVO — The old late-night cable show remains a tough gig for the Cougars these days as it took all BYU had plus overtime to hold off San Diego State early this morning, 83-69.

In truth, BYU's best part of this win was in overtime, an amazing 16-0 run. That five-minute dominance came after the Aztecs had a last-second shot in regulation bounce five times before leaving the rim and preserving the Cougars' hopes.

The win lifted the Cougars to 14-7 overall and 4-4 in the Mountain West Conference. The Aztecs dropped to 12-11 overall and 3-5.

Mike Hall scored 20 points — including five of BYU's 10 points in the first 90 seconds of overtime — to pace the Cougars.

The Aztecs used a pair of big runs in the final 10 minutes to stick on BYU's case. Mark Bigelow and Aztec freshman Brandon Heath traded buckets in the final 50 seconds to send the game into overtime. Heath had a shot at a regulation game-winner in the closing seconds. His shot bounced up and down and out.

The Cougars got an unlikely contributor to step up in the second half as freshman Garner Meads exploded for 13 points in 11 minutes. The former Brighton High prep All-American got loose for a pair of lay-ins and two slam dunks during a Cougar 11-2 run after intermission. He finished with 19 points.

The Cougars led by 10 points in the second half, only to watch Chris Walton lead the Aztecs on a 9-1 run late in the game and make it a nail-biter in the Marriott Center before a crowd of just over 11,000.

Meads' work was needed because Rafael Araujo found himself on the bench most of the night in foul trouble. Araujo picked up his third personal in just over six minutes of playing time through two halves.

Meads tied his career-high 13 points — all in the second half — when he took a behind-the-back pass from Araujo with just under nine minutes to play in the game. Araujo, who was caught in a double team, flipped the ball to Meads, who scored as Aztec Marcus Slaughter delivered a foul. Meads' old fashioned 3-point play on that possession put the Cougars up 53-43, but it was overshadowed by his put-back slammer off the rim of a missed 3-pointer by Mark Bigelow.

The Cougars took a 30-29 lead into the locker room at the half despite the absence of Araujo for 15 of the 20 minutes. The big center picked up his first foul 25 seconds into the game and his second at the 14:57 mark while trying to get position in the key with the ball.