Bigelow, Araujo carry heavy load for Cougars

the numbers

Friday, Jan. 17, 2003 | 9:58 a.m.

First Half: BYU 43-33

The Man: Junior swingman Mark Bigelow scored 16 points, including 4-of-5 3-pointers, to help the Cougars get off to a quick start.

Turning Point: BYU went on an 11-2 run over one three-minute stretch to take a 28-16 lead with Bigelow connecting on three straight treys in that span.

Game within the game: Rebels centers J.K. Edwards and Omari Pearson went to the bench with cut lips courtesy of elbows from BYU players in a rough-and-tumble first half.

Edwards was whistled for an intentional foul when he got caught delivering a forearm to the face of backup Cougar forward Jake Shoff.

Second Half: BYU 85-77

The Man: Junior center Rafael Araujo had 14 of his team-high 22 points and nine of his game-high 15 rebounds in the second half to lead the Cougars.

Turning Point: After UNLV closed to within five points, 76-71, with 3:20 remaining on a pair of Marcus Banks free throws, forward Jared Jensen pushed the Cougar lead back up to seven when he dunked home a rebound of a Travis Hansen miss.

Game within the game: BYU points guards Terry Nashif and Kevin Woodberry, thought to be badly overmatched by Banks, combined for eight assists, two steals and just one turnover and held Banks to just four points during the first 35 minutes.