BYU vs. Virginia Tech Postgame Notes & Quotesâ€”NIT Round 2

PLAYER NOTES

Chase Fischer went 4 of 9 from behind the arc to extend his streak of consecutive games with a 3 to 24 games. The only longer streak in BYU history is 28 by Jimmer Fredette in the 2010-11 season.

Fischer with 24 points reached double figures for the 29th time this season and 23rd time in the last 24 games.

Fischer now has scored 20-plus points for the 18th time this season and 24th time in his career.

Fischer had his 22nd game this season with 3-plus 3s, which tied Jimmer Fredette (2010-11) for most such games in a season at BYU.

Fischer now has had 13 games with 4 or more treys, including back-to-back efforts in the NIT. After 7 triples vs. UAB on Tuesday, he has now connected 11 times from behind the arc in the NIT.

With 24 points tonight Fischer now has 1090 career points in his two seasons, surpassing Keena Young (1068) and Bruce Burton (1089) on BYU’s all-time scoring list to rank 43^rd in Cougar history.

Fischer had 6 rebounds, tying his career high set most recently vs. UAB.

Nick Emery set a new freshman record with his 30^th double-figure scoring game of the season. He scored 10 points. He entered the game tied with Danny Ainge at 29 double-digit freshman scoring games.

Emery made 2 treys tonight to bring his season total to 92 triples, which tied his brother Jackson (2010-11) for 4th most in a season. His 3 to tie his brother put BYU up 15-9 with 13:43 to go in the first half.

Kyle Collinsworth dished out 5 of his 10 assists on the night during the game’s first 8 and half minutes to help BYU to a 20-11 lead. He added two free throws in the stretch to contribute personally to 14 of BYU’s first 20 points.

Collinsworth had 7 first-half assists after dishing out 9 in the first half in BYU’s NIT win over UAB on Tuesday.

Collinsworth now has a season-best 10 games this year with double-digit assists, including both NIT victories. His previous season-best for double-digit assists was 8 games last season. He now has 18 career double-digit assists games, improving on his own BYU record.

Collinsworth scored 18 points to reached double figures for the 97th time in his career, which ranks 7th all-time in double figure games in BYU history.

Collinsworth with 18 points, 10 assists recorded his 15^th double-double of the season, tied for 8th most in a single season. He now has 37 career double-double games, which ranks 3^rd all-time at BYU and is tops among Cougar guards.

Nate Austin tied his career high with a team-best 3 blocked shots. It is the 5th time he has recorded three blocks, including twice this season (last was at Pacific on Jan. 2.

Corbin Kaufusi blocked 2 Virginia Tech shots to record multiple blocks in a game for the 12^th time this season. It was his first multiple-block game since a 3-block night vs. San Diego on Feb. 20. His season high is four blocks (twice). BYU is 9-3 this year in games Kaufusi has had 2 or more blocks.

Zac Seljaas reached double figures for the 11th time this season with 11 points.

Kyle Davis pulled down a team-best 8 rebounds, his highest total since also pulling down 8 boards at Santa Clara on Feb. 13.

Jordan Chatman bucket underneath in the first half was his first points since scoring 13 vs. Portland on Feb. 25. It was his only attempt in 7 minutes of action. He also added one assist.

TEAM NOTES

BYU improved to 25-10 on the year, the program's eighth 25-win season in 11 years under Dave Rose.

BYU improved to 4-0 all-time against Virginia Tech with tonight’s 80-77 NIT victory. This is the first meeting in the Marriott Center between the two programs. BYU is 2-0 in neutral court games vs. the Hokies, dating back to the first meeting at the All-College Tournament in 1967 and 1-0 at Virginia Tech. The other neutral site game was at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City in 2012. BYU has earned three of its four victories under Dave Rose.

The Cougars improved their postseason record (NCAA and NIT) under Dave Rose to 9-10 and 5-2 in the NIT. BYU has played in the postseason every year under Rose (11 seasons). The team improves to 17-9 overall in the NIT, including a 10-1 mark at home.

BYU started Kyle Collinsworth, Chase Fischer, Nick Emery, Kyle Davis and Corbin Kaufusi. BYU improves to 11-5 with that starting lineup.

BYU started the game on a 7-0 run and used the early momentum to maintain the lead for the vast majority (15:43) of the first half. BYU only trailed for 2:06 during the opening half through four lead changes and two ties. For the game, BYU held the lead for 27:52, trailed for 7:08 and the two teams were tied for 5 minutes of the contest.

BYU’s 38-34 halftime advantage marked the 20^th game this year the Cougars have led at the break. BYU is 19-1 overall this year when leading at the half, including a 12-1 record in the Marriott Center. Overall under Dave Rose, BYU boasts a 231-28 record after leading at intermission.

BYU made 5 3s in the first half to bring the season total to 312, which tied the 2010-11 team for most 3-pointers in a single season. BYU then broke the record with three more treys in the second half for 8 total for the game and 315 for the year.

BYU had 4 players in double figures with Chase Fischer (24), Kyle Collinsworth (18), Zac Seljaas (11) and Nick Emery (10).

POSTGAME QUOTES

BYU head coach Dave Rose

"It was a great game with a great crowd. I think that probably the most impressive thing for me was to watch two teams that are late in their seasons that want to keep playing. Both teams kept battling. In those kind of games, you have to figure out how to make one or two more plays than your opponent. They were really good in the second half at driving to the basket and getting the rebounds. That was our challenge–getting them to miss and then getting the rebound. But the last three minutes we played well and got some big stops because we had great pressure. For me, I'm impressed with watching two teams that want to keep playing."

Is this the atmosphere you expected tonight?

"It's probably better than I expected. The crowd was so good from start to finish. It was a large crowd and they were loud and they came to support the guys. I'm glad we were able to send them home happy."

On Chase Fischer's performance:

"He was really determined. When Nick got in foul trouble, we put him on their best offensive guy and he was able to slow him down. I'm excited to watch him and everyone else battle it out now in these last two games. These seniors still want to play. It was great to watch Chase finish that game."

On playing Virginia Tech:

"This team was a lot different that a lot of the teams we've played over the past month. It said that they had only had nine blocks, but I think they actually got closer to 18. But, the guys never gave in. They never relented. I think the crowd was such a big part of us being able to play with a full tank of energy and stay motivated and aggressive. It was nice to get an ACC team in here, but it was nice to beat them."

BYU senior guard Chase Fischer

How tough was that game?

"It was really tough. I think watching them on film, you can tell every game that they're in is going to be a junkyard battle. Buzz Williams's teams are always really tough. This was one that we had to grind out and a lot of players made big plays and we got the rebounds when we needed to."

On staying at home on Tuesday:

"I think it's also big for the program and the students. Even for y'all and for us, we all want to hang our heads a little bit, but I want to thank our fans, because that was honestly the loudest I've ever heard the Marriott Center. I don't know if it really does, but I think the support we get makes people scared to come here."

BYU senior guard Kyle Collinsworth

On not being in the NCAA Tournament, but being in the NIT:

"When we lost to Gonzaga and we knew we weren't going to make the tournament, we had two options: put your head down and feel bad for yourself and quit or create a new opportunity. That's something I've embraced over the past couple of years with hurting my knee. I've found new opportunities and I think that's what the team is doing now. Maybe in the tournament we would only play one game and be done, but here we may be able to play five. We're here and we're taking it one game at a time."

On Kalani Sitake in the front row:

"After the game, I felt someone hit me hard. I thought, "Man, that dude is strong," and I looked up and saw it was him. It was great."

Virginia Tech head coach Buzz Williams

“We do the same thing at the end of every season. I just think it’s so emotional and it’s been such a journey for any team when they get to the end of the road. In the nine years I’ve been a head coach, we’ve handled it all the same. We pray over the seniors and that’s it. To spend a lot of time talking about a game, I don’t know if there’s much good in that."

"Obviously, you want to make shots, but I was pleased with the looks we got and the action we ran down the stretch. I just wish we would’ve made it.”