BYU vs. Pacific Notes and Quotes

BYU vs. Pacific Photo Gallery

BYU vs. Pacific Box Score

PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball suffered its first home loss of the season in a 77-72 setback to Pacific Saturday afternoon in the Marriott Center.

“We got off to a good start and shared the ball well, but defensively we were a step slow,” BYU head coach Dave Rose said. “We’ve watched this team over the last three or four weeks and they play everybody really close. We know it’s a team that has really talented individuals that are tough matchups for us. They guard us really well and they’re very physical.”

The Cougars (17-8, 8-4 West Coast Conference) shot just 33.9 percent in the game and 23.3 percent in the second half while the Tigers (7-15, 5-7 WCC) came away with their second road win of the season. The game was close throughout as it featured 17 lead changes and 12 ties.

Chase Fischer led all scorers with 23 points, including three 3-pointers and 14 of 14 shooting from the free-throw line. Kyle Davis shot a team-best 8 of 11 from the floor for 21 points to go along with five rebounds, while Kyle Collinsworth added nine points, 12 boards and four assists.

BYU held a 34-32 lead at halftime as Davis scored 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting and Chase Fischer hit 3 of 6 from 3-point range.

Despite struggling from the field in the beginning of the second half, BYU led 43-40 at the 14:21 mark.

Pacific, which held the upper hand in second-half shooting at 40 percent, moved ahead for the first time in the second half on a pair of DJ Ursery free throws for a 49-48 advantage at the 10:45 mark.

Down 59-56 BYU tied it up with 4:33 left in the game as Emery was fouled on a 3-pointer attempt and converted all three free throws.

The Cougars took a 1-point lead on a Collinsworth free throw, but the Tigers pushed back in front, breaking an 0-for-5 streak on a T.J. Wallace 3-pointer for the 62-60 advantage with 3:30 left in the game.

With 1:38 to play Pacific extended the lead to its largest of the game, 68-62 on a pair of Alec Kobre free throws. BYU cut the deficit to three points with 10 seconds left, but the Tigers kept the Cougars at bay with two more free throws for the eventual 77-72 final tally.

The Cougars hit the road next week for two games in the Bay Area starting with a matchup at San Francisco Thursday at 7 p.m. PST. The game will be televised live on BYUtv and broadcast live on the Cougar IMG Sports Network, KSL NewsRadio 102.7 FM/1160 AM and BYU Radio – Sirius XM 143. Live streaming video will be available on BYUtv.org.

BYU vs. Pacific Game Notes

Coming off a win over No. 25 Saint Mary's, BYU basketball will look to add to its three-game winning streak when the Cougars host Pacific Saturday at 2 p.m. MST in the Marriott Center. BYU won the first game between the Cougars and Tigers 81-67 on Jan. 2 in Stockton, California.

The game will be televised live on BYUtv, TWC Sports Network, ROOT Rocky Mountain/Northwest and CSN California and broadcast live on the Cougar IMG Sports Network, KSL NewsRadio 102.7 FM/1160 AM and BYU Radio – Sirius XM 143. Live video streaming will be available on BYUtv.org and TheW.tv.

BYU Storylines

• The second half against Saint Mary’s was BYU basketball’s best defensive half of the season. The Cougars held the Gaels – a team that was shooting 53.2 percent from the field entering the night – to 22 points on 23.3 percent shooting. It was the fewest points and the lowest field goal percentage allowed by BYU in a half all season. The Gaels’ 59 points is tied for their lowest output of the season.
• Corbin Kaufusi has reenergized his season over the last 3 games, averaging 9.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 68.4 percent from the free-throw line.
• Kyle Collinsworth is the only NCAA Division I basketball player in the last 20 years to total 1,500 points, 900 rebounds, 600 assists and 200 steals in a career.