BYU basketball: Jimmer Fredette's key 3-pointer a boost in win over SDSU

PROVO — Midway through the second half, with BYU leading by one, the shot clock was getting perilously close to zero, Jimmer Fredette had the ball at the top of the key and San Diego State's D.J. Gay was draped all over him.

Fredette had little choice but to raise up and try a shot. With Gay's hand in his face, Fredette readjusted the ball, sort of double-clutched in mid-air and watched as his 3-point try hit nothing but net.

"I was feeling good at the point and I kind of had that rocker step and he did a good job of guarding me," Fredette said. "But I was able to get the shot off and fortunately it went in. It was probably more luck than anything."

Luck or not, it was probably the turning point of the biggest game in Mountain West Conference history. Instead of SDSU ball down by one, the Cougars suddenly led by four and the Aztecs never got closer than four the rest of the way as BYU gradually extended its lead.

Fredette scored 43 points on the night with his usual array of shots and couldn't have done it under better circumstances with the eyes of the college basketball world focused on two Top Ten teams.

"He is as good of a player as I've ever coached against," said a shell-shocked San Diego State coach Steve Fisher. "That is a really good team led by a great player in Fredette."

Fredette certainly won the battle of the MWC's two best players, who both may be all-Americans and playing in the NBA next year.

The Aztecs' sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds, but only made 8 of 20 from the field and finished with six turnovers on the night.

"Jimmer is a great player and they had a great supporting cast and great fans," Leonard said. "They're just a great team overall."

"He's got a lot of ways he can score and he showed us tonight," said SDSU backup guard James Rahon. "He's just a great player."

Fredette, who came in with a nation-leading 26.7 average, finished with his top scoring game in the Marriott Center, where a couple dozen media folks from around the country were on hand. He left with a 27.5 average and widened his lead as the nation's leading scorer.

Fredette started a bit slow after getting BYU's first basket on a layup two minutes into the game. With SDSU concentrating on Fredette and Jackson Emery, Brandon Davies took over and scored eight early points.