Led by Michael Flowers’ record-breaking performance, Washington State routs BYU in NIT quarterfinals

In 2011, a Washington State team led by record-breaking guard Klay Thompson advanced to the NIT semifinals.

In 2022, a Coug squad guided by record-breaking guard Michael Flowers is returning to Madison Square Garden.

Flowers snapped Thompson’s single-season program mark for 3-pointers during a tremendous performance on Wednesday night in the NIT quarterfinals, piling up 27 points to lift WSU to a 77-58 rout of BYU in a hostile environment at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah.

“It’s an incredible accomplishment, but obviously, I’m still trying to win this ring, win the whole thing,” Flowers said. “Klay Thompson, that’s an amazing shooter, one of the best shooters the game has ever seen. It’s just nice to see my name next to his. Respect to Klay, and let’s keep going.”

The Cougs (22-14) will make their second appearance in the NIT semis when they meet Texas A&M at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at MSG in New York City.

Flowers finished 11 of 20 from the field and 4 of 10 from distance, adding five assists after a slow start. The senior point guard from Michigan has been a stabilizing presence throughout the year for a new-look WSU outfit, and he was at his best down the stretch in one of the program’s most significant contests in recent memory.

Flowers, a first-year Coug, poured in 13 consecutive points – including his WSU record 99th triple of the season – in a game-changing sequence midway through the second half. Flowers drew a foul on his historic 3-ball. The four-point play sparked WSU’s runaway surge.

The Cougs led by only three points with 13 minutes remaining, but the advantage had ballooned to 17 with 7:00 on the clock after Flowers capped his scoring spree with a steal and a transition layup. They cruised from there, with their sights set on MSG.

Smith paused his postgame radio show to sing a line from Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.” A locker-room video went semi-viral after the game. It showed a shirtless Smith dancing in a circle of jubilant Cougs, who doused the third-year boss with water and egged him on.

“Just played probably our best game of the year in our biggest game of the year, so that’s really exciting,” Smith said, still soaking wet from the celebration while speaking with media members. “(The team has) a good makeup. They like each other and that always helps. They sing before, during and after. We have fun. … They stay loose on the road. We’ve been good that way.”

Smith handed Flowers much of the credit for WSU’s persistence in the postseason. The steady vet has kept the Cougs level-headed in their three-game NIT winning streak – all of them comfortable victories.

“He’s a pro as far as his work ethic and coming in every day, getting better, and his mindset,” Smith said of the South Alabama transfer who began his career at Western Michigan. “He’s a complete growth-mindset guy. He sees challenges, strives to be the best he can be. He’s got a really strong will and strong belief. I just feel like he’s been the big key to us playing really well down the stretch.

“Our last three games have been our biggest wins of the year, and you want to be playing your best in March. It’s always nice to be playing at this time of the year. It just helps our program, and he’s been a big part of that.”

Bruising center Dishon Jackson scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half and totaled seven rebounds. Guard Tyrell Roberts contributed 11 points – seven in the momentum-shifting, second-half run – as WSU shot 44% from the field.

The visiting Cougs committed only six turnovers – one in the first half – and held BYU (24-11) to 3 of 20 from downtown.

They offset a sluggish shooting start with resolute defense and a late rally kick-started by Flowers. A 12-point buffer slipped in the second half, but WSU held BYU to just six field goals over the final 9:40.

Big man Fousseyni Traore paced BYU with 16 points and eight rebounds. Guard Alex Barcello added 12 points. Roberts limited Barcello, a standout senior, to to 5 of 14 shooting.

WSU is trending upward at an accelerating pace in the postseason, and has clinched its most impressive season since Thompson – now an NBA superstar with the Golden State Warriors whose No. 1 crimson jersey hangs in the rafters in Pullman – led the team to the NIT semis, where the Cougs fell to Wichita State.

“It means a lot, especially for me,” Flowers said of reaching the NIT semis. “It’s my third school, so it means a lot. Obviously, it was always a dream of mine to play in March Madness, but the NIT is a great tournament and to be able to play in Madison Square Garden is incredible. We want to take full advantage of this, celebrate this moment, but we know we’re not finished.”

Thompson, then a junior and in his final season suiting up for WSU, set single-season school standards in 2010-11 for points (733), field-goal attempts (551), 3-point attempts (246) and, of course, 3-point makes (98).