Instant takeaways from No. 23 BYU's win over Montana State to stay undefeated

PROVO — BYU basketball improves to 4-0 after taking down the Montana State Bobcats, 86-71, on Thursday night at the Marriott Center.

Takeaways from the game as BYU improves to 4-0 on the season.

BYU took care of business in the paint

BYU is known for its ability to shoot the three, but they also have the talent to get downhill and attack the rim.

On Thursday night, BYU scored 46 of its 86 points in the paint.

Even more impressive, BYU was hitting its point-blank shots at the rim, going 16-of-18 on layups in the victory.

By comparison, Montana State only finished with 24 points in the paint.

Rob Wright III showed off his vertical jump with a slam dunk

For the first time as a BYU Cougar, Rob Wright showed that he can throw it down.

It was no surprise to Kevin Young and his teammates, as Wright has a 40-inch vertical. But still, the All-American candidate guard had yet to have a throwdown in a game in the blue and white.

His first dunk came courtesy of a steal that led to the fast-break jam.

Then, in the second half, Wright III picked off the Bobcats and had wide-open real estate for another throwdown before the under-16 timeout, but this time he just laid it in.

He smiled after the layup; maybe he knew he should have shown the hops again to his teammates and the Marriott Center crowd.

Dawson Baker is going to be an important player for BYU this season

After nearly a calendar year away from game action, Dawson Baker returned to the floor on Thursday night.

Baker received loud cheers from the Marriott Center when he checked into the game at the 7:10 mark of the first half.

He expected to play eight minutes on Thursday, and that’s what it ended up being for Baker.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard finished with two points, both from the free-throw line.

Baker is one of three players on this year’s roster who have reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He brings valuable experience and leadership for BYU’s second unit.

Look for him to get more run as they continue to bring Baker along.

Jaxon Kohler has a deep bag of moves for a big man

Throughout this season, former Michigan State transfer Jaxon Kohler has unlocked a different look at the five for a Kevin Young-led BYU team.

Along with his ability to knock down outside shots and rebound, he has great footwork and a deep bag of moves to attack an opposing defense.

In the second half against Montana State, before the under-eight media timeout. He set a screen, rolled to the wing, gathered the pass and pump-faked the Montana State defender Calvin Holden, then got downhill and attacked the rim, showing a spin move against the Bobcat big for a finish.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.

Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.

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