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Provo • Now we know what happens when BYU and Utah State tangle on the basketball court in mid-November: An instant classic breaks out.
In an intense, emotional and back-and-forth slugfest normally reserved for December, or even the middle of February, the No. 23 Cougars held off the Aggies 78-72 in front of 17,303 at the Marriott Center on Wednesday night.
"Great game for an early season match between two pretty good teams," BYU coach Dave Rose said.
Added USU coach Stew Morrill: "It seemed like a midseason-type game to me, instead of a second game. Both teams did a lot of good things. Tough one to lose."
Jimmer Fredette carried the Cougars with 26 points despite frequently being double-teamed, while Tai Wesley led the Aggies with 19 before fouling out.
Utah State (1-1) outshot the Cougars 48 percent to 38 percent from the field, but was doomed by poor free-throw shooting and an inability to keep BYU off the offensive glass in the crucial final minutes.
"If we had made free throws, it might have been a different story," said Morrill, whose team was 15-for-26 from the stripe.
The Cougars (2-0) rarely trailed, but needed eight straight made free throws and one of Fredette's trademark circus shots in the final four minutes to avoid the upset.
The home team also needed a controversial call on USU's Wesley, whistled for an intentional foul for swinging his elbows, with just over two minutes remaining, that may have put the Cougars over the top. With USU trailing 72-69, Wesley came up with a defensive rebound but was hit with his fifth foul, and Chris Collinsworth made a pair of free throws to give the Cougars a five-point cushion with 2:04 left.
"It was a real game-changer for us," BYU's Noah Hartsock said.
Officials warned the captains, including Wesley, before the game they would closely watch for that type of elbow swinging.
"The refs stressed it," Fredette said.
Guard Brian Green came off the bench to nearly win it for the Aggies, making his first five three-point tries to finish with 17 points.
But Green's only missed three-pointer, with 2:25 left, would have pulled the Aggies even, and shortly after that Wesley fouled out.
At the other end of the floor, BYU'S Noah Hartsock came up with a pair of huge offensive rebounds on the same possession after Pooh Williams' free throws trimmed the Cougars' lead to three. After Fredette missed a fadeaway 15-footer from the base line, Hartsock grabbed the rebound and was fouled. His free throws with 25 seconds left — his 14th and 15th points — then put the game away.
"That was a winning play," said Rose, who added later: "I'm really glad we won."
Charles Abouo added 13 points for BYU, and Jackson Emery had 10 despite sitting most of the first half with three fouls. USU's Wesley also got in early foul trouble, and played just 25 minutes.
BYU center Brandon Davies, who started in Friday's win over Fresno State, played just one minute. Rose said the decision was made earlier in the week to go with starter Chris Collinsworth and backup James Anderson in the post, and offered no other explanation for Davies' lack of playing time.
Added Emery: "I know we're in the middle of November, but that felt like the middle of February. Man, what a game."
Storylines
R In Short • No. 23 BYU holds off never-say-die Utah State in an instant, in-state classic at Marriott Center
Key Moment • USU's Tai Wesley scores 19 points and grabs eight rebounds, but gets an intentional foul for swinging his elbows, his fifth, and is disqualified with just over two minutes remaining
Key Stat • Jimmer Fredette scores a game-high 26 points for BYU, but needs 21 shots to get there —
BYU 78,Utah State 72
FG FT Reb
USU Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts
Jardine 28 4-9 2-3 4-12 0 4 10
Wesley 25 9-11 1-6 1-8 3 5 19
Pane 26 2-11 4-6 1-3 3 3 8
Williams 26 2-4 4-4 0-0 3 3 10
Newbold 29 0-2 2-2 0-0 1 4 2
Walker III 12 0-1 1-2 0-2 2 1 1
Grim 24 2-6 0-0 1-3 0-0 2 5
Green 26 6-7 0-0 0-0 0 1 17
Formisano 4 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 0
Totals 200 25-52 15-26 8-32 12 23 72
Percentages: FG 48.1, FT .57.7. 3-Point Goals: 7-11, .400 (Green 5-6, Newbold 0-1, Williams 2-3, Pane 0-1). Team Rebounds: 35. Blocked Shots: 6 (Jardine 3, Grim 2, Walker 1). Turnovers: 14 (Wesley 4, Pane 4, Walker 2, Newbold, Grim, Jarine, Green). Steals: 2 (Newbold, Walker). Technical Fouls: Defensive three second, 8:15 first.
FG FT Reb
BYU Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts
Hartsock 35 5-12 5-5 4-5 1 3 15
C. Collinswrth 17 1-2 5-6 1-8 1 5 7
Abouo 30 3-8 6-6 1-4 0 5 13
Emery 24 4-11 1-1 1-3 0 1 10
Fredette 39 8-21 5-6 0-1 5 4 26
Davies 1 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 1 0
Magnusson 6 0-1 1-2 1-3 1 0 1
Zylstra 4 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 0 0
Anderson 14 1-2 0-0 0-1 1 0 2
Rogers 8 0-1 0-0 2-6 1 0 0
K. Collinswrth 21 2-4 0-2 2-2 2 4 4
Totals 200 24-62 23-30 12-35 12 22 78
Percentages: FG 38.7, FT 76.7. 3-Point Goals: 7-26, .375 (Fredette 5-14, Rogers 0-1, Emery 1-5, Abouo 1-6,). Team Rebounds: 35. Blocked Shots: 3 (Kirilenko 2, Price). Turnovers: 9 (Fredette 3, C. Collinsworth 2, Hartsock 2, Price 2, Davies). Steals: 7 (Fredette 3, K. Collinsworth 2, Emery, C. Collinsworth).
USU 33 39 — 72
BYU 33 45 — 78
Technicals: None
Attendance • 17,303
Officials • Verne Harris, Tom O'Neill, Randall McCall.