BYU vs. Pacific Notes & Quotes

BYU vs. Pacific Game Story
BYU vs. Pacific Box Score

Player Notes

Kyle Collinsworth scored 20 or more points for the third time this season thanks to a career-high 12 made free throws on a career-high 17 attempts.
Collinsworth scored in double figures for the 78th time in his career, passing Lee Cummard for 12th on BYU’s career list. It was Collinsworth’s 30th three-steal game of his career, which ties Danny Ainge for the second most at BYU.
Kyle Davis set a career-high in blocks with 3, but failed to score in double figures for the first time this season. Davis had scored 10 or more points in 14 straight games to begin the season.
Nate Austin tied Lee Cummard and Chris Miles for the eighth most games played at BYU with 131. He also tied his career high with three blocks.
Austin passed Collinsworth for second in career offensive rebounds as he pulled down six offensive boards to Collinsworth’s one. Austin trails Ken Roberts by seven for the top spot in BYU history. It was his second consecutive game with double digit rebounds.
Chase Fischer has scored 20 or more points in four-straight games as he went for 23 points on 6 of 11 shooting from beyond the arc. It was his 11th career five 3-pointer game, tying Jackson Emery for the third most in BYU history.
Nick Emery snapped his consecutive free throw streak at 21 with a miss in the first half. Emery failed to score in double figure for the second time this season and first time since Nov. 16 at Long Beach State.
Zac Seljaas was 4 of 6 from 3-point range for 14 points. It was the ninth game this season where Seljaas has shot 50 percent or better from 3-point range.
Seljaas passed Tyler Haws and Anson Winder in 3-pointers made as a freshman and tied Mike Rose for 8th with 28 so far this season.

Team Notes

The 81-67 win was BYU’s first road victory of the season.
For the fourth straight game, Collinsworth (15 season/109 career), Fischer (15/48), Emery (10/10), Davis (15/15) and Austin (4/57) started for the Cougars. BYU is now 3-1 with that starting five.
BYU ended the first half on a 9-0 run over 56 seconds thanks to three Pacific turnovers, two 3-pointers from Fischer and three made free throws from Collinsworth. The run answered Pacific’s largest lead of the first half to take a six-point lead into the locker room.
BYU’s 34 points at the half were the fewest points scored to hold a halftime lead this season. The previous low was 38 against Northern Iowa.
A 12-0 run punctuated with a Corbin Kaufusi dunk off the inbounds lob gave BYU a 55-43 lead with 10 minutes left in the game. Austin and Collinsworth added field goals, while Fischer and Seljaas added 3-pointers over the nearly three minute run.
The Cougars extended their lead to 19 with a 7-0 run at 69-50. Austin hit two from the free-throw line, Collinsworth took a steal in for a dunk and a free throw before Seljaas hit a 3-pointer.
BYU is 8-0 when leading at the half this season.

Quotes

BYU head coach Dave Rose

“Our execution late in the game was tremendous and we got a real balanced feel tonight.”

“Zac Seljaas really played well for us tonight and picked up some really big baskets and defensively he was very active.”

BYU away crowds:

“It was a great crowd tonight and we played really well and it was exactly what we needed to get a big win.”

On finishing the road trip:

“You don’t just actively go out and schedule five games away from your building, that’s not what you try to do. It seems like we’ve been on the road for two or three weeks, but it’s a good way to finish this thing up and get home and get started with a new year.”

Finishing the half:

“It was great because we didn’t shoot the ball well, but we guarded well. We were just having a hard time finishing those plays.”

On Nate Austin's recent play:

“The second and third efforts that Nate Austin gave us the whole game caused a lot of problems at the rim. In the last three weeks, he’s kind of started to feel comfortable again after a year off and it’s really paying off for us.”

Zac Seljaas

Keeping hot hand:

“I had no idea that I’d be able to do this. After practice I’m shooting with Fischer and his help has brought me to be confident every time I’m shooting.”

Away win:

It’s big. It’s a big confidence booster. Especially coming from the Saint Mary’s game, then coming here and getting that big win. It’s getting more confidence for us in conference play.”