BYU pulls away late to push Central Michigan to 5-5
Senior point guard Chris Fowler dribbles the ball Monday night at McGuirk Arena. (Photo by Monica Bradburn | Assistant Photo Editor)
It wasn’t a surprise to see a pair of senior leaders — Central Michigan’s Chris Fowler and Brigham Young’s Kyle Collinsworth — leading their teams in Friday night’s matchup.
Yet, it was a pair of 3-point shooters off the bench who led each team in scoring in BYU’s 98-85 win over the Chippewas.
Freshman guard Zac Seljaas scored 25 points, including hitting 7-of-9 3-point attempts for the Cougars. He had 20 total points through BYU's first eight games, but now has 43 points in his past two games.
Seljaas scored 11 points in a row midway through the second half to lead an 11-3 run, giving BYU a 65-57 lead. Davis said that run came back to hurt CMU.
“They had that one stretch run where their crowd got into it, they made some big plays," he said. "That one run was the difference in the game."
For CMU, it was sophomore guard Josh Kozinski that led the way from the 3-point line. He was 6-of-13 from long range, scoring 18 points. The Chippewas were 17-for-36 as a team from beyond the arc, keeping CMU in the contest.
The teams were tied 44-44 at halftime and CMU (5-5) was still within two possessions of the Cougars (7-3) with less than four minutes to play.
“To beat a team like this, you can’t let them beat you in every area,” said Head Coach Keno Davis. “They knock down 3s, yes, but from 2-point range in that second half they’re 14-for-20. And yet, we think about the few layups we missed or the couple shots that could have been (and it) still comes down to the wire.”
Davis said his team didn’t have an answer for the Cougar offense.
“It’s not that we have to become a great defensive team this year, but we have to see marked improvement if we want to be able to win — especially win on the road,” Davis said.
Resetting an NCAA record
The Fowler-Collinsworth matchup was noteworthy, with both players totaling 10 assists. It was Fowler's first loss of the season since returning from an injury Dec. 7 against Aquinas. Fowler was held to eight points on 3-of-14 shooting while Collinsworth had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Davis said the Provo, Utah native disrupted CMU both offensively and defensively with his length and versatility.
Collinsworth recorded his eighth career triple-double, the most in NCAA history. Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Anderson are tied for second with six each.
Injuries and altitude changes
Junior guard Braylon Rayson and Fowler both sustained minor injuries Friday, but both returned to the floor. Rayson stepped on somebody's foot early in the first half and took a brief trip to the locker room.
Fowler cramped up, which Davis attributed to the altitude difference in Provo, Utah. Davis also said the altitude seemed to take a toll on his team late in the game.
“You saw our guys get a little winded late, and not used to that kind of experience," Davis said. "It’s something we learn from and it makes us a better team in the future.”
What's next
The Chippewas return to McGuirk Arena Tuesday to face Howard. CMU is 5-0 at home and 0-5 in neutral and road games. Howard junior guard James Daniel leads the nation with 29.4 points per game, four points more than the next closest player.
The game tips off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
