This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo
The ending is never perfect, even for BYU's all-time greats.
Jimmer Fredette's senior year concluded with an overtime loss to Florida in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, with a genuine Final Four opportunity available in 2011.
Tyler Haws' record-breaking career ended last season when the Cougars lost a 17-point halftime lead against Ole Miss in a First Four game.
Yet nobody could say Fredette or Haws failed, in the end. They did remarkable things just to give their teams those chances in March. That challenge awaits senior point guard Kyle Collinsworth, who's in the unusual position of having witnessed the senior seasons of Fredette and Haws, four years apart.
Asked what lessons he has applied from his celebrated teammates, Collinsworth said, "Just showing up every day. The reason why those guys were great is they were everyday guys."
It's his turn now. BYU (21-8, 12-4) is contending for a West Coast Conference championship this week, including Saturday's Senior Night game vs. Gonzaga. Regardless, the Cougars know they must win the upcoming WCC tournament in Las Vegas to earn an NCAA shot. This already has been a memorable winter for Shea Martinez-Collinsworth, who broke the school indoor record in the 400 meters. Her husband has more to accomplish at the end of his historic career.
Having coached this sequence of memorable players, Dave Rose said, "What I want the most for these guys, especially when they get to their senior year, is to have a great run at the end of the year."
Whenever it ends, Collinsworth's achievements will remain unmatched for a long time. The same may have been said of Fredette, whose all-time scoring record was broken by Haws — and his mark already is being chased by freshman Nick Emery.
The 6-foot-6 Collinsworth's combination of No. 1 rankings in rebounds and assists forever should distinguish him, though. So will his NCAA-record 10 career triple-doubles. He played forward as a freshman, proving himself as a rebounder. After his LDS Church mission to Russia, he became BYU's starting point guard in the middle of his sophomore season.
"I needed a guy at the point who really distributed the ball," Rose said.
Collinsworth thrived in what he considers his natural position, and the Cougars responded well. Yet the story of his career really begins at the end of that 2013-14 season, when he injured his knee in the WCC tournament title game. BYU lost to Gonzaga that night, then fell to Oregon in the NCAA Tournament without the Provo High School product, who remembers the dire forecasts for his recovery.
Many people figured he would have to redshirt the following season or maybe return for the conference schedule, and that "I'll never be the same again. I'll never be athletic anymore," he said, parroting the chatter. "That's what motivated me to come back."
He returned in November and the Cougars used a late-season win at Gonzaga to enhance their NCAA credentials, although they lost to the Bulldogs in the WCC tournament finals. Then they fell to Ole Miss, despite Haws' 33-point effort.
Collinsworth can claim two NCAA victories as a freshman, playing power forward after Brandon Davies was suspended. He had 15 rebounds in the Sweet 16 loss to Florida, although a big one got away for him. He was well positioned, but the ball bounced over his head and Florida got another shot. The Gators' Chandler Parsons then missed, forcing overtime, but Florida had succeeded in keeping Fredette and the Cougars from getting a winning opportunity in regulation.
Just to give himself a chance for another NCAA win, Collinsworth will have to do something extraordinary. BYU has not won a conference tournament title since 2001, and that's clearly the only way the Cougars could earn an NCAA bid this year.
No matter how the regular season ends, as BYU hosts Portland and Gonzaga this week, the Cougars will have to come through in Las Vegas. That would make a great story at Orleans Arena, the site of Collinsworth's injury two years ago.
What the Cougars appreciate about Collinsworth is "just how team-first he is," said senior Nate Austin. "He wants success for other guys as much as he wants it for himself."
Collinsworth contributed to the success of Fredette and Haws, when they were seniors. He'll need similar help to get where he wants to go, in his own last shot.
Twitter: @tribkurt —
Collinsworth's all-time BYU ranking
Rebounds
1 • Kyle Collinsworth, 976
2 • Michael Smith, 922
3 (tie) • Kresimir Cosic, Alan Taylor, 919
5 • Greg Kite, 847
Assists
1 • Kyle Collinsworth, 636
2 • Matt Montague, 570
3 • Danny Ainge, 539
4 • Nathan Call, 528
5 • Jimmer Fredette, 515
Steals
1 • Jackson Emery, 249
2 • Kyle Collinsworth, 215
3 • Danny Ainge, 195
4 • Tyler Haws, 182
5 • Jimmer Fredette, 167
Points
1 • Tyler Haws, 2,720
2 • Jimmer Fredette, 2,559
3 • Danny Ainge, 2,467
4 • Michael Smith, 2,319
5 • Devin Durrant, 2,285
13 • Kyle Collinsworth, 1,582