PROVO -- Luiz Lemes hit a jump shot with 17 seconds left in the game to put the Cougars up, 73-72, and Mark Bigelow hit two free throws to ice the game as the Cougars defeated EA Sports, 75-72, Thursday night at the Marriott Center.

The Cougars got off to a slow start, falling behind by five points early at 18-13, but fought back to tie the game at 32 at halftime. The game went back and forth all night with neither team leading by more than seven points.

BYU started to pull away from EA Sports with just under four minutes to play, building a seven-point lead at 68-61, but EA Sports fought back to take the lead at 72-71, before Lemes hit the game-winner.

Rafael Araujo led four Cougars in double figures, scoring 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. While having a tough shooting night (5-16), senior Mark Bigelow still added 14 points.

BYU coach Steve Cleveland said he was really pleased with the play of Araujo and Lemes, and how Araujo has matured since last year.

"I was most pleased with the way Rafael and Luiz played," Cleveland said. "They are really consistent. That is how they have been practicing. We need to get everybody to play at that level."

Lemes (10 points) also scoring in double figures for BYU along with Mike Hall (12 points). Cleveland said Hall played well for his first game.

"Mike played better in the second half," Cleveland said. "He stopped thinking about things and just started playing."

The Cougars will take a WorldWide touring team on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Marriott Center in their final exhibition game.

Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
EA Sports vs Brigham Young University
11/06/03 7:00 pm at Provo, Utah
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VISITORS: EA Sports 0-0
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
01 HALL, Quentin.......    4-10   0-2    0-1    0  3  3   2   8  0  0  0  0  27
11 ANDERSON, Ricky.....    6-10   3-5    4-4    5  3  8   4  19  0  3  0  1  32
12 BLOOOM, Noel........    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  2  2   0   0  0  0  0  0   0
15 BARNES, Matt........    7-15   2-5    1-2    4  6 10   2  17  3  7  0  2  36
21 TYLER, Shannon......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   1   0  1  1  0  0  13
22 BAILEY, Deon........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  1  0  0   9
23 YOUNG, Ray..........    2-10   1-4    5-6    2  5  7   2  10  4  2  0  2  31
31 O'BANNON, Ed........    5-9    1-2    4-4    0  3  3   2  15  2  1  0  2  29
33 BLACKWELL, Ryan.....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   4
55 WONI, Mohammed......    0-3    0-0    3-4    1  1  2   2   3  0  2  0  0  19
   TEAM................                         1  2  3
   Totals..............   24-58   7-18  17-21  13 26 39  16  72 10 17  0  7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-27 37.0%   2nd Half: 14-31 45.2%   Game: 41.4%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-7  28.6%   2nd Half:  5-11 45.5%   Game: 38.9%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 10-12 83.3%   2nd Half:  7-9  77.8%   Game: 81.0%    2
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HOME TEAM: Brigham Young University 0-0
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
00 WOODBERRY, Kevin....    2-2    1-1    0-1    1  3  4   2   5  3  1  0  0  18
01 HALL, Mike..........    4-9    1-2    3-4    1  2  3   2  12  2  1  0  0  18
03 BIGELOW, Mark.......    5-16   1-8    3-4    1  1  2   0  14  1  1  0  1  34
04 LEMES, Luiz.........    4-8    2-4    0-0    0  3  3   4  10  3  2  0  1  27
10 NASHIF, Terry.......    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  3  1  1  1  15
12 ROBERTS, Marc.......    1-3    1-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   3  1  2  0  0   9
13 AINGE, Austin.......    0-1    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  1  1  0  0   6
41 MEADES, Garner......    1-3    0-0    1-2    1  1  2   2   3  0  0  0  1  22
52 JENSEN, Jared.......    2-4    0-0    3-6    1  1  2   3   7  1  1  0  1  22
55 ARAUJO, Rafael......    7-9    0-0    7-8    3  9 12   3  21  1  3  0  1  29
   TEAM................                         1  2  3
   Totals..............   26-56   6-17  17-25   9 23 32  16  75 16 13  1  6 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-25 48.0%   2nd Half: 14-31 45.2%   Game: 46.4%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  5-10 50.0%   2nd Half:  1-7  14.3%   Game: 35.3%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  3-6  50.0%   2nd Half: 14-19 73.7%   Game: 68.0%    3
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Officials: Bill Gracey, Milt Stowe, Kenneth Wilson
Technical fouls: EA Sports-None. Brigham Young University-None.
Attendance: 7338
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
EA Sports.....................   32   40  -   72
Brigham Young University......   32   43  -   75

PROVO -- The BYU men's basketball team opens its exhibition season Thursday when the Cougars host the EA Sports West All-Stars at 7 p.m. in the Marriott Center.

Favored to win the Mountain West Conference this season, BYU returns four starters and nine lettermen from last season's 23-9 NCAA Tournament team and adds some talented newcomers, including NJCAA All-American transfer Mike Hall. The Cougars are led by two Preseason All-MWC players in seniors Mark Bigelow and Rafael Araujo.

EA Sports opens its 13-game schedule Tuesday at Pepperdine and Wednesday at UC Santa Barbara before coming to Provo. The team consists of a nine-man roster of former college players, including former UCLA standout Ed O'Bannon. In addition to UCLA, Gonzaga, Arizona, Syracuse, Clemson, UNLV and Eastern Washington are represented on the roster. The team is coached by Dudley Rutherford.

Tickets to the game can be purchased at the Marriott Center Ticket Office or by calling 378-BYU1. Tickets prices are $5 for upper bench, $10 for upper chair, $15 for lower chair and $5 for students. Students can also attend with a BYU All-Sport Card.