Game 14 - Cougars to Play at Buffalo

BYU to Play Buffalo in Final Non-Conference Road Game

No. 16/16 BYU basketball will play its final game of the 2010 calendar year and final nonconference road game when it plays at Buffalo on Thursday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m. ET. The Cougars have won two-straight games and are 12-1 overall. Last week BYU won at Weber State and at home against UTEP behind Jimmer Fredette’s 26.5 points and 6.5 assists per game. For the season, he is averaging 24.2 points and 4.2 assists per game. Jackson Emery had his best game of 2010 against UTEP as he scored a season-high 23 points and tied his career high with six steals. He also set a career high with six threes. Buffalo has won three-straight, all at home, against Niagara, Green Bay and Houghton. The Bulls are 7-3 overall and 5-0 at home. Zach Filzen leads the team at 16.3 points per game and .444 shooting from three while Byron Mulkey adds 14.2 points and 4.9 assists per game. As a team, the Bulls average 73.2 points and shoot .476 from the field. Opponents average 61.3 points and shoot .383 from the field against Buffalo. Thursday’s game can be heard live on KSL Newsradio beginning with the pregame show at 6 p.m. ET on 102.7 FM and 1160 AM out of Salt Lake City or via the Internet at KSL.com. Visit www.byucougars.com for a link to a live video feed.

Up Next

BYU will play its final nonconference game of the 2010-11 regular season against Fresno Pacific at home on Saturday, Jan. 1 at 7 p.m. MT. Live stats and audio links will be available on www.byucougars.com and fans can listen live on the radio beginning with the pregame show at 6 p.m. ET on KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM out of Salt Lake City.

Cougar Quick Hits

— No. 16/16 BYU head coach Dave Rose is 139-41 in his six seasons at BYU and is the program’s all-time leader in winning percentage at .772.

— The Cougars were ranked in the AP Preseason Poll for the first time since the 1980-81 season and are currently ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

— Jimmer Fredette has been named to eight preseason All-America teams (AP, ESPN.com, Sporting News, SI.com/Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times, Athlon Sports, Dick Vitale and Blue Ribbon Magazine). Fredette is averaging 24.2 points, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game this season.

— Senior guard Jackson Emery is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game and adds 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a team-best 3.0 steals per game. He has posted four-plus steals six times this season. Brandon Davies is third on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game on .582 shooting. He has scored in double figures seven times this season, including the last five-consecutive games.

BYU GAME #14 FAST FACTS

No. 16/16 BYU (12-1) at Buffalo (7-3)

Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010

Alumni Arena

Buffalo, N.Y.

7 p.m. ET

Coaches

BYU, Dave Rose (139-41 in sixth season at BYU; same overall)

Buffalo, Reggie Witherspoon (151-186 in 12th season at Buffalo; 195-209 in 14th season overall)

Series

First meeting

Live Video

Visit the BYU men’s basketball schedule page for a link to a live video feed

Radio

KSL Newsradio (102.7 FM/1160 AM) and the Cougar Sports Network

(Greg Wrubell, play-by-play)

Web

Live audio, live video and live stats links are available on the men’s basketball schedule page at www.byucougars.com/basketball_m/

Looking at Buffalo

2010-11 Record: 7-3, 0-0

Conference: Mid-American

2009-10 Record: 18-12, 9-7 (T-3rd, East Division)

2010 Postseason: None

Highlights:

- Buffalo is 7-3 overall, including 5-0 at home. The Bulls have won their last three games — all at home — against Niagara, Green Bay and Hougton. The also have home wins vs. Navy and Towson and road wins at Canisus and Army.

- Zach Fullen leads the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game and makes 3.6 threes per game on .444 shooting.

- Byron Mulkey adds 14.2 points per game and a team-best 4.9 assists per game while Javon McCrea leads the team in rebounding at 7.3 boards per contest.

Coach: Reggie Witherspoon (12th season at Buffalo)

Buffalo’s Last Outing — Bulls Defeat Houghton, 79-47

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo men’s basketball team downed Houghton, 79-47, at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon. Zach Filzen led all scorers with 21 points, including five three-pointers. All 11 UB players that played in the game scored and grabbed a rebound to help the Bulls improve to 5-0 at home this season.

Buffalo (7-3) shot nearly 61 percent from the field in the first half, but couldn’t shake a feisty Houghton squad until late in the stanza. The Bulls closed the half on a 19-4 scoring run to take a 43-22 halftime lead.

The Bulls clamped down on defense in the second half and Houghton got no closer than 17 points.

Hosting NAIA Houghton gave head coach Reggie Witherspoon an opportunity to give his younger players extended minutes. Freshman Corey Raley-Ross made the most of his opportunity with a career-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a pair of thunderous dunks.

Fellow freshman Jarod Oldham played 17 minutes and had four of the Bulls’ nine steals.

Buffalo dominated the glass, outrebounding the Highlanders, 41-23. Mitchell Watt tied a career high with nine rebounds to go along with six points and a pair of blocked shots. Javon McCrea had eight points on 4-of-4 shooting and added five rebounds and two blocks.

Buffalo dominated the play inside, outscoring Houghton, 38-14 in the paint.

Titus Robinson continued his resurgent play with 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting.

“Houghton stretched us out good which was a good test for us,” Witherspoon said. “I thought it was a good game for some of our younger guys to get some extended minutes. We needed to have a game at this time.”

Buffalo will next host 18th ranked Brigham Young on December 30.

Series Notes

First meeting between BYU and Buffalo.