Jimmer Fredette showed up in the Pepsi Center to extend his brilliant career yet another night in the NCAA Tournament. It just wasn’t, by Fredette standards, a Jimmer Show.
The BYU All-America guard finished with a “quiet” 32 points, missing plenty of shots he normally would make in a 74-66 victory over Wofford. It was more than enough to move No. 3 BYU (31-4), into Saturday’s third round against the winner of the St. John’s-Gonzaga late contest.
Wofford finished 21-13.
Fredette didn’t win any over Wofford friends teeing up a trey with eight seconds left and the game long decided.
Charles Abouo hit the big baskets down the stretch for BYU to put the Terriers away.
The Pepsi Center second session was slow to fill up. The Mountain West co-champs were accustomed to playing in front of ear-splitting full houses. Without a familiar opponent BYU looked lost at times early.
Yet, it wasn’t one of those typical BYU nights when the Cougars basically got out of Fredette’s way. Noah Hartsock and reserve Logan Magnusson each reached double figures.
Wofford had its own small but vocal, cheering section. If the Terriers weren’t going to spring the upset, they were determined not to leave the Pepsi Center embarrassed. Forward Noah Dahlman’s efforts were rewarded by spending most of his night at the foul line. He didn’t have much trouble with the BYU zones. Cougars coach Dave Rose has said BYU will go to a zone to preserve Fredette’s energy for the offensive side.
Fredette passed off to his teammates but shots that usually fall for Jackson Emery and Noah Hartsock were off the mark in the early going.
BYU was uncharacteristically inept outside the arc, misfiring on 8-of-9 to that point in the early going as Wofford took a 17-14 lead.
Natalie Meisler: 303 954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
