Roy's 30-Point Eruption Sparks Court Storm — OSU Stuns No. 16 BYU 99-92

Astonishment struck Jaylen Curry by the time he’d reached the corner of the 3-point arc.

The Oklahoma State junior point guard said he anticipated a court storm. The deafening roar of the home crowd echoing throughout Gallagher-Iba Arena. The “overrated” chants directed toward the opposing team. The finality of OSU’s 99-92 win against No. 16 BYU on Wednesday.

All of it, Curry said, hinted toward a court storm. 

As the final seconds of the game clock winded down, Curry turned around to embrace his teammates. Before his head was turned, OSU fans had already begun snaking around him. 

“I turned around and (the fans) were right there,” Curry said. “I didn’t know what was going on.”

It signified a noteworthy win. One that clinched OSU its first Quad 1 victory of the season, and one that illustrated a memorable sight for OSU fans alike as thousands of bodies swarmed mid-court. 

“This was my first one,” OSU shooting guard Anthony Roy said. “I hope it’s not the last.”

And it came off the back of Roy himself.

That hasn’t been a scarce occurrence for the Cowboys (16-6, 4-5 Big 12). Roy has dazzled throughout the season, swiftly cementing himself as one of college basketball’s premier shooters and OSU’s leading scorer. 

On Wednesday, however, he elevated that status. The 3-point makes ballooned as the game progressed, en route to a season-high 30-point outing. 

In turn, others contributed immensely. Curry finished with 18. Shooting guard Vyctorious Miller (14), center Parsa Fallah (13) and forward Christian Coleman (10) also logged double-digit totals.

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But Roy shined best.

“It makes it easier (for us) because you’ve got someone who can shoot it from distance,” Cowboys’ coach Steve Lutz said. “And it puts pressure on the defense, which now allows Kanye (Clary) and it allows Jaylen Curry to get to the basket because the lane opens up.”

OSU started strong, clinching an early 9-point advantage at the 11:38 mark in the first half. Twice, the Cowboys led by 15 behind a suffocating defensive effort that forced 16 turnovers. 

Enter AJ Dybansta.

The Cougars' (17-5, 5-4 Big 12) dynamic freshman forward took over through the tail end of the first half. He totaled 12 of BYU’s final 19 points to tie the game at 41 at halftime. 

Dybansta emulated the product he’s perceived to be — a top-three selection in the upcoming NBA Draft. His 36-point, seven-rebound performance kept BYU within striking distance, and eventually, clinched its first lead of the game with 18:21 remaining in the second half.

Still, Lutz said he ordered his players to adhere to his game plan. No ad-libbing or playing rogue. Only sticking to what was outlined before the game.  

“I feel like this game is just a game of runs, and we’ve seen that throughout our season,” Roy said. “So, I feel like everybody just stayed calm and we knew what we had to do to win. And when it just came down to it, we did what we had to do to win.”

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And most importantly, Roy kept scoring.

When it mattered most, he came in clutch. Whether it be a double-contested, step-back make from beyond the arc or a swish from the half-court logo, Roy delivered.

Perhaps Curry’s chronicle of Roy’s skillset was most fitting.

“You ever watch the 2017 (Golden State) Warriors with KD, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry? That’s how I feel (we are) when he hits all these 3s.”

The headline of the night was OSU earning a vital, resume-bolstering win for the NCAA Tournament. The court storm was merely a postgame delicacy. 

When BYU surged, panic within the roster was at a minimum. No hero ball or selfish playstyle as has been the case in such scenarios earlier this season. 

The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. Especially come Saturday, when the Cowboys clash with No. 1 Arizona at the McKale Center on Saturday at 3 p.m. 

But such traits, Lutz said, is the makeup of a postseason-caliber team. If the Cowboys can prolong those traits, perhaps an NCAA Tournament bid isn’t so far-fetched after all. 

“We’ve talked a lot about our egos vs the mission,” Lutz said. “Our mission is for us to continue to win Quad 1 games in the best league in America, and put ourselves in a position to get to the NCAA Tournament. And they did that tonight because the mission was more important than their egos.”