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Richie Saunders scored 13 points to lead a balanced effort by BYU in a 72-61 victory over North Carolina State on Friday afternoon in the consolation game of the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego.

BYU (6-1) was held well below its scoring average of 90.0 points per game, but the Cougars hit 10 of 26 3-pointers and stymied the Wolfpack (5-2) into shooting just 36.8 percent from the field.

Fousseyni Traore (10 points) was the only other player to reach double figures in scoring for BYU, which bounced back nicely from its overtime loss to No. 23 Ole Miss on Thursday.

Michael O’Connell and Jayden Taylor each scored 16 points for North Carolina State. The Wolfpack lost for the second day in a row in this tournament after falling to No. 13 Purdue in the opener.

BYU freshman Egor Demin pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to go with eight points and four assists in the win.

BYU hit its first four 3-pointers and grabbed an early 10-point lead after a left-handed jam by Demin.

NC State pulled within 19-14 after back-to-back 3s by Breon Pass and Taylor.

The Cougars responded with a 6-0 run and maintained that 11-point lead into intermission.

Taylor hit a 3-pointer right after halftime to bring the Wolfpack back to within single digits, but it was all BYU after that.

The Cougars went on a 14-2 run thanks to a pair of Demin layups, two 3-pointers by Kanon Catchings and a triple from Saunders for a 52-32 lead with 15:27 to go.

NC State surged for an 11-1 run later in the second half to cut into BYU’s biggest lead of 24.

Nine different players scored for BYU. Dallin Hall scored nine with five rebounds. Dawson Baker also scored nine.

Trey Parker added nine points for the Wolfpack.

–Field Level Media