HOME SWEET HOME
The Cougars extended their non-conference home win streak to 23 games with the win over the Highlanders. That is the ninth-longest streak in NCAA Division I men’s basketball, according to research done by Texas Tech’s Wes Bloomquist.
The win over UC Riverside also saw Kevin Young improve to 18-2 at the Marriott Center, the second-most wins by a head coach in his first 20 games at the arena since it opened during the 1971-72 season.
LIFE WITH YOUNG
Since being held to six points on 2-of-4 shooting in a loss to Texas Tech last season, Richie Saunders has scored in double figures in 11 straight home games, including a 19-point performance in Saturdayís win over UC Riverside.
The senior guard has appeared in 19 of Young’s 20 games at the Marriott Center, where he is averaging 16.5 points per game while shooting 53.5 percent from the field, 44.6 percent from three and 75.5 percent from the free throw line. He has knocked down a career-high six pointers five times, with two of those coming at the friendly confines of the Marriott, including going 6-of-11 from deep in the Cougars’ comeback victory over Delaware earlier this season.
THAT’S PRETTY COOL
BYU has never trailed in 12 of the 46 games (26.1 percent) that Young has coached at BYU following Saturday’s win. The Cougars’ 48-point lead with a little more than three minutes remaining in regulation in the win over UC Riverside was also the biggest lead the second-year head coach has ever had during his time in Provo.
