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PROVO — The ballots are counted and the results are in: Egor Demin is a generational talent for BYU men's basketball.
The five-star prospect from Moscow, Russia, totaled 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists; and Kanon Catchings added 17 points, three rebounds and two blocks as the Cougars cruised to a 88-50 win over Central Arkansas in Tuesday night's season opener at the Marriott Center.
Richie Saunders supplied 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists for BYU (1-0), which led for all but the first 20 seconds until Trevin Knell opened the game with a 3-pointer.
Demin is one of eight freshmen in program history to dish out 10 or more assists in a single game — he also had 11 in a non-counting exhibition game over Division II Colorado Christian a week ago — and he also broke the program record for most assists by a freshman in a season opener, set by Ryan Cuff with seven against Arizona State in 1992.
Mike May held the previous record for most assists by a player in their BYU debut, when he totaled 10 dimes against Idaho State in 1976.
"It's just something I'm doing all the time," a surprised Demin said after the game, laughing as he explained he meant "dishing dimes" and not "setting records." "I like to pass the ball; I really believe that my first option is to involve everybody in the game before I get my game (going)."
Elias Cato scored 21 to lead Central Arkansas (0-1), which had four more turnovers than assists (14).
That's right; Demin had nearly as many assists as the whole Bears team.
"He's unique," said BYU coach Kevin Young, his hair doused wet after celebrating his first win as a collegiate head coach. "I think tonight we saw him being more aggressive as a scorer. ... Tonight, he found some opportunities; they were going under on some screens, and he made them pay."
Knell had a pair of 3-pointers in the first half, but the Cougars started just 4-of-13 from 3-point range en route to a staggered 16-14 edge midway through the first half.
Keba Keita had 4 points, five rebounds and a steal in the first half, including a putback dunk on one of Demin's missed free throws that helped the Cougars to a 13-2 run to lead by as much as 23 before the break with 13 points off 11 turnovers.
"It was a lot of defensive lapses to start the game. Our switches were poor, they got way too many easy baskets," Young said of the slow start. "We settled in with some subs. I thought Mihailo (Boskovic) steadied the ship with his calming presence."
Egor Demin's first half of college basketball:
— Adam Finkelstein (@AdamFinkelstein) November 6, 2024
13pts (5-7 FG, 3-5 3pt), 6ast, & 3reb
pic.twitter.com/twHRcOtzE8
Demin had 13 points and six assists before the break, and Saunders added 10 points, five rebounds and two assists as BYU ended the half on an 11-1 run for a 46-23 advantage.
He wasn't done, either.
Demin opened the second half with a lob to Catchings for a dunk, a 3-pointer, and a steal that the former Real Madrid prospect flushed on the other end to stretch the lead to 30 less than four minutes after halftime.
In addition to Demin and Catchings, the four-star prospect out of Indiana by way of Overtime Elite, Tuesday also saw the official debut of Boskovic.
The 6-foot-10 Serbian who was recently ruled eligible by the NCAA after two seasons with KK Dynamic in the Serbian KLS totaled 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including a 3-pointer midway through the second half as the Cougars shot 15-of-44 from deep.
The Cougars host UC Riverside at 7 p.m. MST Friday (ESPN+).
