BYU vs. Eastern Kentucky Notes & Quotes

BYU vs. Eastern Kentucky Game Story

BYU vs. Eastern Kentucky Box Score

BYU vs. Eastern Kentucky Facebook Photo Gallery

Player Notes

Tyler Haws

Haws finished with 26 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists and was also 4 of 8 from behind the 3-point line. He extended his consecutive free throws made streak to 14. It was his 54th career 20-point game, fourth this season and second consecutive. It was also Haws' 55th consecutive game scoring in double figures.

Kyle Collinsworth

Collinsworth scored 11 points, had 5 assists and 3 steals and grabbed 4 rebounds. It was his fifth straight game with 5 or more assists and fourth straight with 3 or more steals. His 3 steals moved him past Haws on the career steals for 15th all-time. His one offensive rebound tied him with Mark Durrant for 18th on the BYU career list.

Chase Fischer

Fischer scored 20 points, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 2 assists. Fischer was 4 of 8 from behind the arc.

Nate Austin

Austin finished with 2 rebounds, an assist and a block.

Isaac Neilson

Neilson started for the first time in his BYU career and grabbed 3 rebounds in 8 minutes.

Anson Winder

Winder came off the bench to play 20 minutes and score 19 points to go with 5 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist. Winder scored in double figures for the fifth straight game tying his longest streak of last season. He was also 3 of 4 from behind the arc and it was his fourth straight game shooting .667 or better from behind the arc.

Skyler Halford

Halford played 19 minutes off the bench and scored 9 points on 3 3-pointers. Halford added 2 rebounds and 4 assists.

Frank Bartley IV

Bartley played 14 minutes, scored 4 points, made 4 assists and grabbed 3 rebounds.

Team Notes

For the first time this season, BYU started Fischer, Haws, Collinsworth, Austin and Neilson. It is the third starting combination of the season. In the second half, the Cougar starters included Winder and Worthington in for Austin and Neilson.

BYU had four double figure scorers (Fischer, Haws, Winder and Collinsworth) while Collinsworth led the team with 5 assists and Winder led the team with 5 rebounds.

The Cougars had four players make multiple 3-pointers (Haws, Fischer, Winder, Halford) which is tied for the season high and the third time it has happened this season.

BYU scored 90 points for the fifth time all season. The Cougars have won every game where they have scored 90 points this season.

The win continued BYU's 15-game home win streak and its 6-game nonconference home win streak. 

BYU's 15 made 3-pointers is tied for the second-most made threes in a single-game in BYU history. The Cougars set the record earlier this week when they made 17 against Chaminade in the Maui Invitational.

Quotes

BYU head coach Dave Rose

"A quick turnaround and a long flight home, but our guys were ready. Early in the game, (EKU's) style caused us some real problems. They turn people over with their trapping press they use in the half court. The second half was good. It was maybe as well as we've shared the ball all year. We had opportunities to drive it deep. We started driving it and kicking it out. I'm really proud of our guys and now we'll have a day off and another game against Utah State on Tuesday."

On attacking:

"I think it was kind of a guards game. At one time, we had five guards on the floor. They're such a good 3-point shooting team that when we had that lead, we felt that the only way they would come back was if we turned it over and they hit their 3's."

On Halford:

"Skyler is starting to feel better. His hips aren't 100 percent better, but he feels better than he did on Monday and Tuesday. The energy he brings us when he comes off the bench is really needed by our team."

On making 3-pointers:

"Traditionally, we've been a pretty good 3-point shooting team, and I think this team has potential to be one of our better ones. It's nice when they go in. When you get on those spurts, especially in the Marriott Center with a big crowd and energy, it's something that can really help us. We'll see Utah State who's had three or four days to prepare for us, so we'll see how we can space the floor and get shots up there."

Anson Winder

On the second half:

"I think we built up a large sense of urgency in the second half. We figured out the type of defense they were playing. It got us on our heels in the first half, and the second half we figured out how to break it and hit shots."

On coming off the bench:

"I think being seniors, we both embrace the role of winning games the best way possible. We come off the bench trying to be the spark off the bench. Whatever our team needs, we try to bring to the table."

On sharing the ball:

"I think that gets us even more fired up to play. We take so many shots a game that once we share, everyone's going to get a shot. Once we make that first pass, it gets contagious and we all start making passes and I think that's a good part of our team."

Skyler Halford

On making 3-pointers:

"Their defense in the beginning, we were tentative. In the second half, whoever had the ball was pushing it up the floor and we were getting into open gaps and kicking it to open guys."

On coming off the bench and being a spark:

"I had a tough first half, but I just tried to stay positive and the open shots came to me and I was able to knock them down. Whoever gets that open shot usually knocks it down."

On Utah State:

"I'm super excited. It's a great environment, it's a fun place to play and their fans are nuts. It's what every basketball player dreams for is to play in a fun environment like that. It is a hostile environment, but we'll be ready to go."