FORT COLLINS — Colorado State largely fell silent. Brigham Young played large and loud.
The defending Mountain West champion Cougars’ 86-60 win Saturday was predictable, and BYU several times threatened a 40-point lead in the second half. Only a late spark from CSU reserves, including walk-ons Arin Dunn (in his first career game) and Mike Annese, kept the final margin less than 30 points.
The Rams have lost 19 straight MWC regular-season games stretching over three seasons.
“Our scout team played well,” said CSU coach Tim Miles, in no danger of losing his sense of humor despite a 5-11 start in his second year.
The Rams missed their first 12 shots behind the arc before Marcus Walker connected with 8:15 left in the game. Dunn and Annese had the only other treys. BYU (13-2) shot 57 percent with 10 players in double-digit minutes.
“We did a good job sharing,” Cougars coach Dave Rose said. “Defensively, we were really active.”
Said Miles: “There’s a lot of difference between us and BYU right now, but the greatest difference is they don’t get rattled, they don’t get down. We do get rattled, we do get down.”
CSU freshman starting point guard Jesse Carr said he likes the new offense Miles is implementing, but “once something goes wrong, we seem to buckle.”
Miles first contemplated changing the motion offense to a fewer-option continuity offense a month ago. “We didn’t want to show it before league play,” Miles said.
It worked for the first six or seven minutes as BYU mishandled the ball. Then Moby Arena’s roof caved in on 2,958 spectators.
Walker provided CSU’s lone lead of the contest at 13-12 with 13:31 left in the first half. But after BYU took a 25-22 lead, Jimmer Fredette launched the Cougars on a 16-4 run to pull in front 41-26 with 1:29 left in the half.
While both sides emptied the benches in the last five minutes of the game, Dunn did play in the first half. A standout at Broomfield High and son of CSU assistant coach Terry Dunn, Arin Dunn finished with eight minutes, a 3-pointer and a steal.
“It’s all based on practice,” Miles said. “Arin’s played very well since Christmas.”
BYU (13-2, 1-0 MWC)
Tavernari 3-9 0-0 7, Miles 2-3 2-3 6, Emery 3-5 0-0 8, Cummard 8-10 0-0 18, Fredette 6-12 1-1 15, Abouo 3-5 0-0 8, Morgan Jr. 5-8 0-0 11, Rose 2-3 0-0 4, Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, Pinegar 0-0 0-0 0, Hartsock 0-1 1-2 1, MacGregor 4-6 0-2 8. Totals 36-63 4-8 86.
COLORADO STATE (5-11, 0-2)
Franklin 2-4 0-1 4, McFarland 1-7 0-0 2, Ogide 6-13 0-0 12, Carr 1-4 1-2 3, Gardner 2-7 2-3 6, Clayman 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 3-9 5-5 12, Nigon 0-4 1-2 1, Annese 2-2 0-0 5, Perry 0-2 0-0 0, Simmons 1-2 6-8 8, Lebsack 0-0 0-0 0, Dunn 1-2 0-0 3, Bocar Ba 1-2 2-3 4. Totals 20-58 17-24 60.
Halftime — BYU 46-30. 3-point goals — BYU 10-19 (Cummard 2-2, Abouo 2-3, Emery 2-4, Fredette 2-6, Tavernari 1-2, Morgan Jr. 1-2), Colorado St. 3-16 (Annese 1-1, Dunn 1-1, Walker 1-3, Perry 0-1, Carr 0-1, Gardner 0-2, Nigon 0-3, McFarland 0-4). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — BYU 38 (Cummard 8), Colorado St. 33 (Ogide 8). Assists — BYU 16 (Fredette 4), Colorado St. 5 (Carr, Franklin, Lebsack, McFarland, Perry 1). Total fouls — BYU 22, Colorado St. 11. A — 2,958.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
