BYU vs. Colorado Notes & Quotes

Player Notes

Kyle Davis recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. He added 2 blocks – his fourth 2-block game of the season. Davis has scored in double figures every season and has grabbed 7 or more rebounds in each game, as well.

Nick Emery returned to the starting lineup and along with Seljaas helped BYU back into the game in the second half. Emery totaled 23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a block. It was Emery's third 20-point game, tying him with Trent Plaisted and Matt Carlino for eighth most 20-point games by a BYU freshman.

Zac Seljaas set career highs in points and rebounds with 18 points and 3 boards off the bench. He also set career highs in field goals with 7 and 3-pointers with 4.

Kyle Collinsworth finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal. The double figure scoring game is his 73rd tying him with Trent Plaisted for 14th in BYU history. Collinsworth started his 103rd career game tonight, tying Marty Haws for 13th most in BYU history.

Nate Austin finished with 2 points, a rebound and an assist. He and Seljaas were the only BYU players off the bench to score.

Corbin Kaufusi finished with 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks an assist and a steal.

Team Notes

For the fourth time this season, Fischer, Collinsworth, Emery, Davis and Kaufusi started for BYU. The Cougars are 2-2 with that starting unit.

In the last four games, BYU had shot at least 38 percent from three, averaging almost nine 3-pointers a game, with a high of 48.1 percent against Belmont. Tonight, BYU shot 31 percent from 3-point range as Emery and Seljaas combined for 8 of BYU’s 9 3-pointers.

In every game except at Utah and at Colorado, BYU has outscored its opponents in the paint and in half of those games the Cougars have scored 40 or more points in the paint. 40-plus points in the paint only happened three times last season.

BYU trailed at halftime for the fourth time this season and lost for the third time when that happens.

Runs

BYU responded to Colorado taking a 25-point lead as part of a 12-0 run to open the half with an 18-3 run to get it back to 10 points at 64-54 with 10:59 left. A quick 5-0 run cut Colorado’s 25-point lead to 20 with 14:18 left in the game. Davis hit a free throw, while Seljaas and Collinsworth each hit a jumper. After a 3-pointer for Colorado, BYU put together a 13-0 run in just 1:45 to cut the lead to 10. A layup from Collinsworth, a three-point play, a 3-pointer and a layup off a steal from Emery and a 3-pointer from Seljaas forced a Colorado timeout leading 64-54.

A 6-0 run from 3-pointers by Seljaas and Emery cut Colorado’s lead to 8 with 2:43 left, but BYU never got closer than 7 the rest of the way.

Quotes

BYU Coach Dave Rose
“First of all, Colorado is a really good team. They are very well coached, they spaced the floor really well. They had five really good offensive players out there at a time. They spread us out and got shots that they wanted early. We changed defenses, slowed them down a little bit. We just are not consistent enough offensively and in being able to hit open shots, shots that we work for. Our ability to rebound in big key moments [is critical]. They beat us in big key moments. We did do some really good things compared to some other games that we have had issues with, especially when weren't hitting shots. But overall, Colorado really impressed me with their team and how they play together.”

On Their Second Half Comeback
“We had a lot looks that we’re used to making. We had a hard time when we started so we got behind. Going inside, their size and strength and length caused us issues. We finally got on a run when we started hitting shots and put a little pressure on them. But they were really consistent in answering every time we made a run. They answered pretty good.”

On Freshmen Zac Seljaas and Nick Emery
“There are some real positive things. You take two freshmen, Zac [Seljaas] and Nick [Emery], and this was their best road game by far. 41 points, I think they had nine rebounds between the two of them. That’s something that we really need, especially on the road. You look at our record on the road and our inability to execute the way that this team is capable of executing – that’s a good sign for two young kids to come out and play in a tough spot, execute and play well.”

“Early in the game I thought they did good job of being two up on the catch and hurrying them a little bit. He’ll (Chase Fischer) tell you, he had a lot of clean looks, looks that he was really capable of making.”

On Playing On The Road
“We have to play better. We played better tonight than when we played our first night out on the road so you build on that. We have to play with more confidence and consistency. We have to be little bit quicker defensively. We were a step slow at times tonight. Things that are really important to win on the road – you can’t turn the ball over, you have to hit free throws and you have to be able to rebound. We did two of those things pretty well compared to the other night but we just got man handled on the boards.”