LAS VEGAS — The most pressure-packed free throw of Jimmer Fredette’s storied career was his first of the Mountain West Conference semifinals.
He needed the foul shot with 4:24 left to get his first career 50-point game. No problem. His only free throw of the night fell and the nation’s scoring leader added one more basket for a 52-point tour de force.
Oh, yes, BYU avenged two earlier losses to New Mexico with an 87-76 decision to advance to today’s MWC championship game.
“He’s a very, very special player,” said New Mexico coach Steve Alford, himself a college scoring machine for Indiana. “Special players can have evenings like this, especially in March.”
Fredette had one eye on the Thomas and Mack Center scoreboard detailing player statistics.
“I knew I was having a good game,” Fredette said. “I was making the shots tonight and that’s what happened.”
Even before the free throw, he reached a season goal by breaking the career scoring record of BYU icon Danny Ainge. With one MWC Tournament game left, and at least one in the NCAA Tournament, Fredette could put the record away for BYU generations to come.
He ended up taking 37 shots, seven more than his teammates combined.
New Mexico hung in against the one-man assault but the Lobos eventually faded. Floor leader Dairese Gary left early in the second half with a knee injury and his availability for the postseason is unknown.
The top seed in the tournament silenced all the detractors who said BYU, now 30-3, wouldn’t go far without suspended center Brandon Davies.
Fredette’s first-half line score was a week’s worth of work for most good players — 5-of-8 behind the arc, 14-of-20 from the floor.
Jimmer earned a standing ovation from the BYU section.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
