BYU captures Vegas Showdown with win over NC State

Jaxson Robinson scored a career-high 23 points and BYU recovered from a 12-point deficit midway through the first half to beat North Carolina State 95-86 in Friday night's championship game of the Vegas Showdown in Las Vegas.

Noah Waterman added 15 points for the Cougars, who are off to a 6-0 start for the second time in three seasons. Trevin Knell and Dallin Hall added 13 points apiece, and Spencer Johnson had 11 for BYU.

The Cougars shot 70 percent from the field in the second half while putting up 57 points. Overall, BYU shot 56.7 percent and made 14 of 34 of their 3-point attempts.

Casey Morsell scored a career-best 28 points for North Carolina State (4-1). Jayden Taylor had 17 points, D.J. Burns Jr. 16 and DJ Horne had 14 points and four steals.

BYU played without forward Atiki Ally Atiki, who was suspended after he delivered a left-handed punch into the face of Arizona State's Akil Watson late in Thursday night's 77-49 rout of Arizona State.

The Cougars' front court grew even thinner in the front court when second-leading rebounder Fousseyni Traore (6.6 per game entering Friday) injured an ankle with 13:48 left in the first half. He didn't return.

NC State shot 46.9 percent from the field, including 10 of 25 from 3-point range.

Johnson and Trey Stewart hit consecutive treys to provide BYU with a 66-64 lead with 10:06 remaining -- the Cougars' first lead since the opening minutes.

Morsell scored five straight points to put NC State ahead by three with 8:20 left, but BYU scored the next eight points and 19 of 22. Hall hit a tying 3-pointer and Robinson scored five in a row to give the Cougars a 74-69 advantage with 6:01 remaining.

Later in the run, Knell hit a corner 3-pointer, Aly Khalifa scored on a tip-in and Robinson drove for a hoop to make it 85-72 with 2:40 left.

Robinson made four straight free throws off technicals to make it 95-81 with 1:03 left after Taylor and Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts were ejected.

Morsell scored 12 first-half points and Horne added 11 as NC State led 43-38 at the break.

After Waterman opened the game with a 3-pointer, the Wolfpack went on a 16-2 run to take an 11-point lead on Horne's layup with 15:01 left in the half.

NC State later led 27-15 after two free throws by Taylor with 9:32 left before the Cougars whittled away at their deficit.