Keller's perfect day helps Cowboys top No. 19 BYU

Saturday, February 17

Stillwater

1:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

11-14,3-9Big 12

BYU

18-7,6-6Big 12

BYU

Oklahoma St.

Image Taken at MBB vs BYU, Saturday, February 17, 2024, Gallagher Iba Arena, Stillwater, Oklahoma. Chase Davis/OSU Athletics.

Photo by: Oklahoma State University Athletics

February 17, 2024 | Cowboy Basketball

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STILLWATER, Okla. -- Jamyron Keller's 19th birthday couldn't have been more perfect.

The freshman guard made his first career start and all eight of his field goal attempts to lead Oklahoma State to a 93-83 upset of 19th-ranked BYU Saturday afternoon at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Keller was 4-for-4 from deep and 2-for-2 at the foul line while setting new career-highs for points (22) and minutes (37:49).

His 8-for-8 shooting performance was the best by a Cowboy since Dec. 7, 2010 when Marshall Moses made all 12 shots in a 31-point night against Tulsa.

Fellow freshman Brandon Garrison added a personal-best 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting. He drew nine fouls and knocked down 7-of-12 free throws.

Quion Williams (15 points), Javon Small (14 points, six assists) and John-Michael Wright (13 points) also finished in double-figures for OSU (11-14, 3-9 Big 12), which knocked off a nationally-ranked foe for the first time in six tries.

The five starters (OSU's eighth different lineup this season) combined for all of the Cowboy points during a 27-15 start and 85 of the 93 overall.

BYU (18-7, 6-6) came in averaging a nation-best 11.6 threes per game but made just 2-of-16 in the first half and 8-of-35 overall for a season-low 22.9%.

The Cowboys shot a season-best 59.6% from the field, helped by an 11-of-22 performance from long range. They were 8-of-14 in the first half and took a comfortable 49-34 lead into the locker room.

BYU cut a 20-point lead to single digits with 4:26 to play before Keller converted a tough layup through contact for the last of his eight makes. The Cowboys sank 13-of-18 free throws over the last 4:00 keep the visitors at bay.

Keller also helped set the tone early, scoring eight of the first 11 Cowboy points.

His steal and layup capped a 13-5 run that made it a 27-15 game with 11:00 to play in the opening half.

BYU pulled to within half-a-dozen late in the period before the Cowboys, who had gone nearly five minutes without a point, exploded for 14 over the final 2:00.

Williams ended the first half with a tip-in and opened the second with a three-point play to push the OSU lead to 52-34.

Keller's three made it 66-46 with 12:43 to go.

Garrison and Keller became the first OSU freshman duo in more than three years to score 20 points in the same game. Rondel Walker and Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe had 20 and 22 respectively at Iowa State on Jan. 25, 2021.

OSU will make a return trip to Provo on Mar. 9 for its regular season finale.

The first Big 12 era matchup between OSU and BYU was also their first since the 2003-04 season when the Cowboys advanced to the Final Four. Members of that team were on hand Saturday for a reunion.

OSU improved to 77-84 at Gallagher-Iba Arena against nationally-ranked opponents.

It was seventh-year head coach Mike Boynton Jr.'s 24^th top-25 win – third-most in OSU history behind Eddie Sutton (49) and Henry Iba (27).

The Cowboys will have more opportunities to add to that total in the coming weeks. They're on the road at Cincinnati on Wednesday night (6 p.m. CT, ESPN+) before returning home next Saturday to take on No. 25 Oklahoma (3 p.m. CT, ESPN2).