Looks like BYU has cured itself of the Firestone Fieldhouse curse.
TJ Haws set a new career high with 34 points to go along with 8 assists and 7 rebounds as BYU beat Pepperdine 87-76 in Malibu.
BYU got down early in the second half after racing ahead to a 9-point halftime lead, but big performances from Haws, Yoeli Childs and Gavin Baxter down the stretch gave BYU the double-digit victory. After a slow start, Yoeli Childs came alive in the second half to finish with 20 points and 5 rebounds.
One potentially big development for BYU was the performance of Gavin Baxter. The freshman had by far his best game of the season, finishing with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists on perfect 5-5 shooting from the field and 3-3 from the foul line. Gavin was active on both ends of the floor, showing off his elite athleticism with blocks at the rim, alley oop finishes and using his whole 7-foot-3 wingspan on a few rebounds.
After gaining some confidence tonight, BYU (12-8) heads to San Francisco for a matchup versus the 15-3 Dons where we’ll find whether or not BYU has turned a corner.