BYU overcomes slow start to rout JSU

PROVO — Seven minutes into Friday night's game, BYU basketball coach Dave Rose's team had suffered an eight-point deficit in the opening 100 seconds and was getting beat by an aggressive Jackson State squad. He challenged his Cougars collectively — and Trent Plaisted individually — with some sharp words from the sidelines, some timely pine time for certain starters and the punctuation of a slammed clipboard at the end of a timeout.

Five minutes later, Plaisted re-entered the contest with a flourish and the Cougars re-established themselves, breaking a 26-all tie with a 13-3 run to end the half and set the tone for a lopsided 100-61 victory at the Marriott Center.

Plaisted finished with 21 points in just 19 minutes, including 8-of-11 shooting to lead BYU (3-0) to the first-round victory in the Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Invitational, upping the nation's second-longest home winning streak to 33 games. The Cougars await Hartford at home Tuesday night in a second-round tournament pairing.

Meanwhile, road-weary Jackson State (0-3) heads off to face sixth-ranked Louisville on Sunday for its second-round affair.

Four other Cougars scored in double figures — led by reserve guard Michael Loyd Jr. (15), starters Lee Cummard (14) and Jonathan Tavernari (13) and backup big man Vuk Ivanovic (10).

In the opening minutes, the Tigers' quickness, NCAA tournament experience and versatility at all positions caught the Cougars off guard, while JSU's double-digit offensive boards in the opening 10 minutes demoralized the hosts and limited their transition attack.

"We were slow to get to that competitive nature where we want to be," said Rose.

And Plaisted and Co. got the message.

With Loyd tying the game at 26-26 with a fast-break layup and two free throws, Plaisted personally pushed the Cougars from that point toward the 41-29 intermission advantage.

The 6-foot-11 junior center said his return-to-the-court effort "wasn't going to be anything in particular — just everything."

"Everything" included a block, a twisting one-hander for a field goal, an altered JSU shot, a short jumper, a defensive rebound, an assist on a Tavernari trey, a pair of free throws, a spinning lay-in, another defensive board and a drawing of a Tiger charge.

All in five-plus minutes.