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Provo • Before they could start spreading the news that they are heading back to the Big Apple, the BYU Cougars had to spread the ball around Tuesday night against Creighton in a National Invitation Tournament third-round game.
It worked like wildfire.
With senior point guard Kyle Collinsworth experiencing flu-like symptoms and unable to start, freshman Zac Seljaas got his first career start and delivered 19 points on 5-for-6 3-point shooting to lead BYU to an 88-82 win in front of 15,525 at the Marriott Center. Kyle Davis added 18 points, Nick Emery 17 and Chase Fischer 15 as BYU improved to 26-10.
"I think one of the fun things for me as a coach and our staff is Kyle has picked up this team so many times over the course of the year, and the course of his career, and to have these other guys be able to pick him up tonight, and help him through to another game, I think that says a lot about the group, the camaraderie, the chemistry and the character of our guys," BYU coach Dave Rose said.
Collinsworth entered the game with 15:21 remaining in the first half and BYU trailing 8-5, and gave the Cougars all he could, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes.
"He is really, really sick," Davis attested.
The Cougars will face Valparaiso, which defeated Saint Mary's on Tuesday night in Indiana, next Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, their second trip to the world's most famous arena and the NIT's semifinals in four years.
"Most of us have never been to New York," said Seljaas. "That was kind of our motivation."
That, and lifting the ailing Collinsworth, who told Rose before the game that he would give what he had, and if it wasn't good enough, to pull him out.
"We all just kinda rallied around him," said Davis, who carried the Cougars offensively in the first half and finished 7 of 9 from the field. "We said Kyle is not going to be able to maybe be like he is normally, so we tried to step up, do it for him. He's done so much for us all season, it was a good opportunity for us to pay him back a little bit."
Davis said there's been a "little bit of a lid on the rim" for him the past few weeks, but he was terrific against the Bluejays. Rose noted that going to Davis early and building his confidence was vital with Collinsworth out.
Creighton (20-15) started well with Cole Huff scoring 12 quick points, and led by as many as 12 points in the first half. With the uncertainty over Collinsworth's health, it appeared that the home team was in trouble. Huff finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Geoffrey Groselle led Creighton with 22.
Midway through the half, Rose went to the 1-3-1 zone defense that has proven effective time and again this season, and Creighton couldn't handle it. The Bluejays made just one field goal in the last seven minutes of the first half, going 1 for 11 in that stretch.
"That zone really saved us," Rose said, praising Creighton point guard Maurice Watson Jr., who had nine points and nine assists. "They were carving us up in that man-to-man."
Seljaas also did some saving.
He fueled the first-half comeback with three big 3-pointers, then hit two more in the second half, with just one long-range miss.
"Zac was really good tonight," Rose said. "He grew up, took on a huge role."
Rose pulled Collinsworth out with BYU leading 52-47 with 15 minutes remaining, and the Cougars stretched the lead to 69-54 with some of their best basketball of the season. Emery, Fischer and Seljaas all made big shots in the run, and Corbin Kaufusi protected the rim while adding seven points and four rebounds in 19 minutes.
Rose said the Cougars were brimming with confidence at halftime, because they learned they could get something out of Collinsworth, but wouldn't have to depend on him like they usually do.
"My goodness, it was a good night for him in really challenging circumstances," Rose said.
Creighton went 9-9 in the Big East and wasn't about to fold despite the 15-point deficit. The visitors cut BYU's lead to seven with 1:41 left and five with 26 seconds remaining, but Emery hit four straight free throws to seal it.
"They are a good defensive team, but once we were able to catch our stride and get into our offense, we just started rolling and obviously it turned out well for us," Davis said.
BYU 88, Creighton 82
CREIGHTON (20-15) • Thomas 2-9 4-5 9, Watson Jr. 3-10 2-4 9, Huff 7-16 1-2 18, Milliken 4-9 1-2 10, Groselle 8-10 6-9 22, Harrell Jr. 4-7 0-0 10, Clement 0-0 0-0 0, Hegner 0-2 0-0 0, Hanson 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 30-67 14-22 82.
BYU (26-10) • Fischer 5-13 4-5 15, Seljaas 5-6 4-4 19, Emery 4-13 7-7 17, Davis 7-9 4-6 18, Kaufusi 3-5 1-1 7, Collinsworth 4-9 2-6 10, Chatman 0-1 0-0 0, Austin 1-1 0-0 2, Hartsock 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-57 22-29 88.
Halftime—BYU 38-37. 3-Point Goals—Creighton 8-26 (Huff 3-11, Harrell Jr. 2-2, Watson Jr. 1-2, Thomas 1-3, Milliken 1-6, Hegner 0-2), BYU 8-21 (Seljaas 5-6, Emery 2-8, Fischer 1-5, Collinsworth 0-1, Chatman 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Creighton 37 (Huff 11), BYU 39 (Emery, Seljaas 7). Assists—Creighton 16 (Watson Jr. 9), BYU 15 (Emery 5). Total Fouls—Creighton 22, BYU 18. A—15,525.