BYU guard Rob Wright III scored 27 points and reportedly vomited during the game as the Cougars battled past No. 10 Texas Tech in a gritty win.
The BYU basketball locker room smelled like victory Saturday night - and apparently a little bit like something else.
In one of the more memorable moments of the college basketball weekend, BYU guard Rob Wright III emptied the tank so completely during the Cougars’ 82-76 upset win over No. 10 Texas Tech that he literally had to empty his stomach.
Yes, really.
After the game, BYU head coach Kevin Young revealed that Wright’s heroic performance came with a less glamorous side effect.
“We talked about, yeah, they made shots, but we've got to make them miss,” Young said while explaining the team’s halftime mindset. But the physical toll of the defensive effort quickly became clear.
“The guys just played so hard to the point where we've got Rob puking in a trash can in the huddle. Keba was cramping up. Khadim's taking a shot to the neck, and it was just an all-out warfare out there.”
That “warfare” produced one of BYU’s most impressive performances of the season.
Wright led the Cougars with 27 points, six rebounds and two assists, including 23 points in the second half as he repeatedly attacked the Texas Tech defense.
The junior guard’s combination of power and quickness proved too much for the Red Raiders’ backcourt.
Apparently, it was also too much for his stomach.
Still, Wright wasn’t the only Cougar leaving everything on the floor.
Kennard Davis, Khadim Mboup, and Keba Keita helped flip the game defensively after Texas Tech lit up the nets early. The Red Raiders drilled 12 3-pointers in the first half, but BYU tightened the screws after halftime.
The Cougars switched nearly every screen and forced Tech’s guards into tough one-on-one battles.
Texas Tech’s offense cooled dramatically, scoring just 30 points in the second half while shooting 25 percent from three.
Young praised the team’s mentality after surviving Tech’s early shooting barrage.
“Nobody really blinked, you know, in our locker room,” Young said.
That composure - and a lot of hustle - helped BYU grind out the win despite injuries and exhaustion.
If that effort carries into March, the Cougars might be dangerous.
Just maybe keep a trash can nearby.