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Provo • Chase Fischer's belly was growling.

The basketball star from the small town of Ripley (pop: 3,256) in the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia had been in Provo only a few days since transferring to BYU from Wake Forest, and on this particular Sunday afternoon, it really hit the gregarious farmboy that he was in another unusual place.

"I was driving around, looking for something to eat, and nothing was open," Fischer said. "I finally found a Subway that was open. I have adjusted, but [some businesses being closed on Sundays] took some getting used to."

So did a few other things — like fellow students at the school, which is 98 percent Mormon, asking the non-Mormon where he served his two-year church mission, or not being able to grow a beard.

"I just hate shaving," he said. "Nothing else has been that hard."

Since arriving about 18 months ago, Fischer has found the better fit he was looking for — on and off the basketball court — when he left the Atlantic Coast Conference school after two seasons.

"I belong here, too," he said.

Big deal back home

Actually, BYU players and one of his former assistant coaches at Ripley, Steve Hunt, say Fischer could fit in anywhere, because of his friendliness, infectious personality and willingness to adapt. That he was elected a team captain before his sophomore year at Wake Forest, and then again before this season at BYU, despite having had to sit out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, shows how popular Fischer is with his teammates.

"Back here, he's a really big deal, and the reason why is because he's a really good kid," said Hunt, who still coaches at the 950-student high school in Jackson County, West Virginia, about 40 miles north of Charleston. "I've never heard a single person say a bad thing about him. All the kids around here really look up to him."

Fischer was also a big deal because he averaged 32 points per game as a junior and 37 points as a senior, and became only the fourth player from West Virginia to be named a Parade First-Team All-American. He's the leading scorer in Ripley history and 10th-leading scorer in state history.

"Some of his games were unbelievable," said Hunt, recalling a particular game against No. 1-ranked Wheeling Park, a 102-96 loss, in which Fischer scored 54 points. "Teams just couldn't stop him."

Hunt said it was "kind of surprising" to him and a lot of other people around town when Fischer chose BYU after deciding he was going to leave Wake Forest, where he averaged 6.3 points as a freshman and 5.4 as a sophomore.

Not only is BYU on the other side of the country, but it is a strict religious school that had booted a star player (Brandon Davies) before an NCAA tournament run in 2011 for violating its honor code.

Fischer had offers from Florida Gulf Coast, Valparaiso, Ball State and other schools closer to home.

"When his dad told me he was going to BYU, I thought, 'Wow, that's a long ways away,' " Hunt said. "Chase had always been kind of a homebody."

Overcoming misconceptions

One night during Final Four weekend in 2013, Fischer had already gone to bed when his telephone rang. It was BYU assistant coach Mark Pope, who was an assistant at Wake in 2010-11.

"I knew a little bit about BYU because I was a huge Jimmer [Fredette] fan," Fischer said.

He immediately dismissed Pope's initial query about his interest, but Pope was persistent. Then, coach Dave Rose got involved.

After dozens of phone calls, visits from Rose and Pope to Ripley, and a visit to Provo by Fischer, he committed a week or so later.

"I guess, looking back on it, coach Pope and coach Rose did have to work on me pretty hard, because it was a big leap of faith to come out here," he said. "I trust them a lot. They were the main factors why I came."

Rose remembers that Fischer was "a little bit hesitant" when the Cougars started recruiting him because he had never been out West before and had some misconceptions about BYU and its sponsoring institution, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"So we tried to correct those things," Rose said. "But what he really liked was our style of play. … That's all he was looking for. He was looking for a place where he could be with really great teammates and have an [uptempo] style that would fit his game. I think this is a better fit for him."

Fitting right in

Fischer said BYU's fast-paced attack — the Cougars lead the country in scoring, at 86.7 points per game — was a big enticement, but he also learned that, as a nondenominational Christian, he had many of the same values as the school and his mostly Mormon teammates.

"People say BYU is crazy strict and very straightforward — which it is," he said. "But there are a lot of misconceptions. People out here are just as normal as everyone I have been around my whole life. A lot of people said, 'Why are you going out there? Are you Mormon? Are you crazy?' Stuff like that. That's the biggest misconception — that BYU people are [different]. These are awesome people here, and they are just like anyone else."

A key ingredient

If there's a knock on Fischer's season so far — the Cougars play at Pacific on Thursday — it is that the 13-point scorer has not played well against the toughest opponents.

He's averaged 16 points in the 14 wins, but just 7.4 points in the five losses. In many ways, as Fischer goes, so go the Cougars. They are 9-0 when he scores 15 or more points and 12-1 when he scores 10 or more, but 2-4 when he scores under 10.

Mostly, he's made most fans forget about the mercurial Matt Carlino, the former BYU shooting guard who transferred to Marquette.

"Chase has been terrific for us," Rose said. "He was quite a find."

Kinda like that open sandwich shop in Provo on Sunday.

Twitter: @drewjay —

BYU vs. Pacific

P At the Spanos Center, Stockton, Calif.

Tipoff • 9 p.m.

TV • ESPNU Radio • 1160 AM, 102.7 FM

Records • BYU 14-5, 4-2 WCC; Pacific 9-8, 1-4 WCC

Series history • Tied, 4-4

Last meeting • Pacific 89, BYU 82 (Feb. 13, 2014)

About the Tigers • They are coming off a 54-47 loss to Saint Mary's in the their lone game last week. … Sophomore guard T.J. Wallace is 16th in the WCC in scoring with a 12.5 average, and eight in rebounding with a 5.9 average. … Junior guard Dulani Robinson averages 10.1 points per game.

About the Cougars • After ranking third nationally in scoring (83.7) last year, they lead the nation this year at an 86.7 clip. … Junior guard Kyle Collinsworth is second in the WCC in rebounds (8.3) and assists (5.8). … Senior F Nate Austin is still nursing a hamstring tear and did not make the trip to Stockton. Guard Anson Winder is questionable with a sprained right knee. —

About Chase Fischer

• Led West Virginia in scoring as a junior (32 ppg) and a senior (37 ppg) at Ripley High and was the fourth player from that state to be named a Parade All-American (2011).

• Played in 62 games for Wake Forest as a freshman and sophomore and was a team captain in 2012-13.

• Sat out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules, then named a BYU team captain in 2014-15 and is averaging 13.8 points per game, third-best on team.