Senior Trio Lead Cougars To Final Home Victory

PROVO, Utah (Feb.17, 2001) On senior night, it was only fitting that the BYU seniors scored 55 of the Cougars' 68 points to lead them past Colorado State, 68-51, on Saturday night to complete a perfect 15-0 season in the Marriott Center this season.

To lead the Cougars, Mekeli Wesley scored 23, behind 3 of 4 from three-point land, his third highest point total of the season. Whiting added 18 points, including 4 three-pointers, and Terrell Lyday added 10.

"Perseverance is the best word I can use to describe the game tonight," said BYU coach Steve Cleveland. "We had good help from the crowd, they were a huge help."

That crowd of 17,630 watched as BYU increased their home-winning streak to 20 games, the sixth best in the nation. Despite a slow start, BYU caught on fire in the second half, behind 3 three-pointers by Whiting in the first seven minutes.

"I thought they took the same shots to start the second half as they did in the first half, but they made them," said Colorado State coach Dale Layer. "That is a team that is very confident here. They have won 20 straight here for a number of reasons: they are a good team, well-coached, and play hard."

To start the game, Wesley hit a three-pointer only 29 seconds after the tip-off, but the scoring slowed down after that. The 25-19 half-time score was the third lowest for the Cougars this season, and the second lowest for an opponent. Eric Nielsen started strong, getting three offensive rebounds, two blocks, one steal and four points in the first 12 minutes of the game.

"Colorado State is the most difficult team in the league to defend because they are so patient and they execute so well," said Cleveland. "I thought that defensively we just hung in there. We had opportunities and good looks in the first half."

Adding to the slow start was a scoreless first half by Lyday. But, the senior was not denied in the second half. After the Rams came within four points, Lyday scored his first points of the game on a three-pointer with 10:11 left in the game, followed by a steal and a lay-up, which triggered a 13-2 run to put the Cougars up by the score of 54-39.

David Fisher was the leading scorer for the Rams with 16 points, Brian Greene added 13 and Andy Birley had 10.

BYU finishes the regular season with three straight road games. They have a week off until they face Utah next Saturday in the Huntsman Center. They then travel to New Mexico and Air Force before the Mountain West Conference Tournament in Las Vegas March 8-10.

Box Score (Final)
                             2000-01 MWC Basketball
                        Colorado State vs BYU (02/17/01)
VISITORS: Colorado State
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player                 FG FGA FG FGA FT FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 PATIK, Garrett...... f  1  6   0  1   1  2   1 10 11   4   3  1  5  0  0  30
44 FISHER, David....... f  5  9   0  0   6 11   3  1  4   0  16  0  2  0  0  33
03 GRADY, Ron.......... g  3  7   0  1   0  1   1  1  2   4   6  0  2  0  2  29
11 BIRLEY, Andy........ g  2  4   1  2   5  6   0  1  1   1  10  4  0  0  1  36
32 SIVESIND, John...... g  0  6   0  4   2  2   0  1  1   1   2  2  2  0  2  34
01 SANDERS, Jonathan...    0  1   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   1   0  0  0  0  0   4
15 HARRIS, R'Cell......    0  0   0  0   1  2   0  0  0   1   1  0  0  0  0   3
25 BROWN, Matt.........    0  0   0  0   0  0   0  2  2   2   0  0  1  0  0  11
33 GREENE, Brian.......    4  7   0  0   5  5   2  3  5   5  13  0  2  0  1  20
TM TEAM................                         2     2
   Totals..............   15 40   1  8  20 29   9 19 28  19  51  7 14  0  6 200
TOTAL FG%:  .375   DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG%:  .125   REBOUNDS
F Throw %:  .690      5
HOME TEAM: BYU
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player                 FG FGA FG FGA FT FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 WESLEY, Mekeli...... f  8 12   3  4   6  6   3  0  3   4  25  0  0  0  0  37
25 NIELSEN, Eric....... f  3  4   0  0   0  0   4  2  6   5   6  0  2  2  1  17
42 COOPER, Nathan...... f  1  2   0  1   0  2   1  3  4   1   2  4  3  0  1  30
21 WHITING, Trent...... g  7 13   4 10   0  0   0  4  4   5  18  3  0  0  3  38
24 LYDAY, Terrell...... g  4 14   2  5   0  2   1  1  2   2  10  5  3  0  2  27
01 KNIGHT, Nate........    0  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   1   0  0  0  0  0   2
10 ARCHIBALD, Jordan...    0  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1
20 BOBIK, Daniel.......    1  3   0  2   3  4   0  6  6   2   5  2  2  1  0  20
23 SHIPPEN, Ty.........    0  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1
31 MONTAGUE, Matt......    0  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0   3
34 CHRISMAN, Jacob.....    1  3   0  0   0  1   0  3  3   2   2  3  0  0  0  10
40 HOWARD, Dan.........    0  0   0  0   0  0   0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1
43 DAWES, Derek........    0  0   0  0   0  0   3  0  3   1   0  0  1  0  0  13
TM TEAM................                            1  1
   Totals..............   25 51   9 22   9 15  12 20 32  23  68 17 12  3  7 200
TOTAL FG%:  .490   DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG%:  .409   REBOUNDS
F Throw %:  .600      1
Date: 02/17/01      Site: Provo, Utah  Attendance: 17630
Officials:
Technical fouls: Colorado State-None. BYU-None.
Score by Periods      1  2   Total
Colorado State...... 19 32  - 51
BYU................. 25 43  - 68