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Provo • It isn't often a team can commit twice as many turnovers as its opponent and still win by 37 points, but that's what happened Thursday night in the Marriott Center.
Then again, college basketball teams don't usually play three games in three nights at three different venues, let alone travel 2,000 miles on the day of a game. But that took place as well.
The end result of the madness was a resounding 96-59 win for homestanding BYU (2-0) over weary Coppin State, which will turn around and play at Utah on Friday night. The Eagles (0-4) lost at Coastal Carolina 89-59 Wednesday night, the same Coastal Carolina team that will play at BYU on Saturday night.
Welcome to what they are calling the MGM Grand Main Event, a preseason tournament that will resume Monday in Las Vegas with the Cougars meeting Saint Louis, regardless of what they do Saturday against the Chanticleers (1-2).
Thursday's game was a bit more competitive than many in the crowd of 12,444 figured it would be, given Coppin State's brutal travel schedule, but in the end the well-rested Cougars were just too much for the historically black school from Baltimore that plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
"I like playing in any game," said BYU freshman Yoeli Childs, who grabbed 15 rebounds in just 20 minutes of work.
Three nights after ripping Princeton for 26 points and 18 rebounds, Eric Mika had a quiet 18 points and five rebounds in 15 minutes as the Cougars dominated inside, as expected. BYU won the rebounding battle, 63-39.
Still, coach Dave Rose was not altogether pleased with the effort. There were those 22 turnovers, and the fact that Coppin State grabbed 19 offensive rebounds.
"If we want to be who we want to be, we have to be prepared to play every game the same," Rose said.
Part of the reason the visitors grabbed 19 boards on their end was that they missed an amazing 60 shots, going a frosty 21 of 81 from the field. The BYU student section's most frequent chant: "Airball, airball."
As for the miscues, including 13 by the regulars in the first half, "most of the turnovers were turnovers when we were trying to share the ball," Rose said.
Twelve Cougars scored, and their were milestones aplenty.
Houston transfer LJ Rose made the first 3-pointer of his BYU career in the first half, and two more freshmen made the first treys of their careers in the second, Colby Leifson and Payton Dastrup. The latter's appearance ended speculation that he might redshirt this season, given BYU's depth inside and the late-December return of footballer Corbin Kaufusi.
Jamal Aytes added seven points off the bench in 11 minutes, and Nick Emery (13) and TJ Haws (11) were in double-figures for the second-straight game.
Elon transfer Elijah Bryant showed the promise that earned his Freshman of the Year honors in his previous conference, scoring 11 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing three assists in 21 minutes.
"I think we were over-sharing the ball," Bryant said of all the giveaways.
Ten Cougars played 10 or more minutes, as Rose emptied his bench early and rested the starters for Saturday's contest, which figures to be much more competitive.
Playing time "is all up in the air," Rose said. "Some of these guys will be big pieces, and some won't see a lot of time."
Twitter: @drewjay —
Storylines
R Freshman Yoeli Childs grabs 15 rebounds in 20 minutes and Eric Mika adds 18 points in 15 minutes as BYU overwhelms Coppin State.
• BYU opens the first half on a 14-2 run and the second on a 13-2 run.
• Coppin State played 24 hours after losing 89-59 at Coastal Carolina.