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

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

Fousseyni Traore (10 points) was the only other player to score in double figures for BYU, which rebounded well from Thursday’s overtime loss to No. 23 Ole Miss.

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

BYU freshman Egor Demin grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and secured the win with eight points and four assists.

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

NC State pulled within 19-14 on consecutive three-pointers from Breon Pass and Taylor.

The Cougars responded with a 6-0 run and maintained their 11-point lead until halftime.

Taylor hit a 3-pointer right after halftime to get the Wolf Pack back to single digits, but after that it was all BYU.

Thanks to two Demin layups, two 3-pointers from Kanon Catchings and a triple from Saunders, the Cougars jumped out to a 14-2 lead and took a 52-32 lead with 15:27 left.

NC State went on an 11-1 run later in the second half to cut BYU’s largest lead to 24.

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

Trey Parker added nine points for the Wolfpack.

–Field level media