Jimmer Fredette Scores 42 Points As No. 9 BYU Beats Colorado State, 94-85

(Sports Network) — Jimmer Fredette scored 42 points to power ninth-ranked BYU to a 94-85 victory over Colorado State at Moby Arena.

Fredette made 11-of-24 shots, including 4-of-9 from three-point range, and converted 16-of-17 free throws.

Jackson Emery and Kyle Collinsworth both logged 16 points for the Cougars (19-1, 5-0 MWC), who have won nine games in a row. Collinsworth also dished out six assists and grabbed as many rebounds.

Wes Eikmeier had 25 points to pace the Rams (13-6, 3-2), who were denied their third straight win. Travis Franklin contributed 21 points, while Andy Ogide notched a double-double with 18 points and 10 boards in defeat.

Colorado State trailed 70-54 after Brandon Davies converted his own miss for BYU, but the Rams countered with a 9-1 surge to pull within 71-63 on Eikmeier's three-pointer with just over nine minutes remaining in regulation.

Dwight Smith's three-pointer trimmed Colorado State's deficit to six, but Fredette answered with a trey of his own. Moments later, the Rams closed to within 78-73, only to have Fredette respond with a layup.

Emery drained a three-pointer to push the lead to 86-74 with 3 1/2 minutes left.

"It was a great win," BYU head coach Dave Rose said. "Colorado State just kept coming back and coming back. In the second half they were hard to stop."

BYU jumped out to a 23-11 lead, but the Rams came back with eight straight points. Fredette's three-pointer put the Cougars up 55-40 at halftime.

Davies had 12 points and nine rebounds...BYU shot 50 percent from the field, while Colorado State made 48 percent of its shots.

Colorado State Rams Host Streaking No. 9 BYU Cougars

The Colorado St. Rams host the ninth ranked BYU Cougars in one of the biggest games in the history of Moby Arena tonight at 7 p.m. MT on The mtn., and the game is a sell out for the first time in eight years. The Rams are looking to make a statement to say that they have joined the Mountain West elite, if they can pull off the upset against BYU. Currently, the Rams are one of the last four teams out in the latest bracket projections and ps at  win over BYU should put them on the right side of the bubble. To accomplish this feat Colorado State must find an answer to the deep shooting and all-around star player Jimmer Fredette. Fredette leads the nation in scoring at 25.8 and he can beat defenders off the dribble or hit the deep three-pointer if a defender gives him space both of those aspects make it very difficult to guard Fredette.

BYU is not a one-man show as the Cougars go nine players deep who average 10 minutes per game and four who average 10 points or more per game, but after those four the scoring drops off significantly. The other key players who have the ability to be a scoring threat are Jackson Emery and Brandon Davies. Emery is also a shutdown defender who typically guards the opposing teams best guard and he averages 2.68 steals per game. Noah Hartsock is also a player to watch out is a sharp shooter from beyond arc as he makes 61 percent of his shots, but for the year his sample size is small at 14-of-23 three-point attempts.

Colorado State will have to clamp down defensively -- or attempt to run with BYU -- since the Cougars average 85 points per game compared to the 75 that the Rams average each game. The Rams will need big games from their two leading scorers in Andy Ogide and Travis Franklin; Ogide averages 15.4 points per game but he also averages 7.5 rebounds and a block per game. If the Rams are to try to keep pace with BYU, they have the depth to do so since they have 10 players who average 10 minutes per game. For Colorado State to win they must attempt to hold Fredette under his 25 point average which will be difficult since in road games Fredette is averaging 28.3 points per game. The Rams have little to lose in this game since they are a six point underdog, but a win will give them a great win to add to their NCAA tournament resume.