Fredette spins record with 45

Brigham Young guard Jimmer Fredette wasn't selected the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year. His performance Thursday might have some voters wishing for a do-over.

With the Cougars locked in a battle against seventh-seeded Texas Christian, Fredette scored an MWC tournament-record 45 points to lead the second-seeded Cougars to a 95-85 victory and into today's 8:30 p.m. semifinal against UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"It's a great accomplishment," said the junior Fredette, who made 23 of 24 free throws. "I was trying to be aggressive and get to the line as much as I could."

Fredette's 45 points blew away the tournament record of 35 by UNLV's Lou Kelly against New Mexico in 2002.

"With Jimmer, you give him more freedom," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "His ability to create so much attention from the other team helps open up the floor for the rest of our team.

"His ability to get to the line was the difference in us winning."

TCU (13-19) tried to play a zone against the Cougars. The Horned Frogs also tried to trap and press. Nothing worked, so they had little choice but to foul Fredette.

Fredette, who lost out to New Mexico's Darington Hobson for MWC Player of the Year, had 15 points by halftime when BYU trailed 40-39. Then he took over, leading a 12-2 run that helped the Cougars (29-4) push their lead to 71-60 with 10:07 left. The margin went as high as 15 with 4:33 remaining.

His 23-for-24 performance at the foul line broke the tournament record of 18 makes (in 19 attempts) by UNLV's Ricky Morgan against Wyoming in 2005.

■ San Diego State 72, Colorado State 71 -- The Aztecs' NCAA bubble nearly burst, but they survived a spirited effort by the fifth-seeded Rams, who had to play most of the game after the ejection of leading scorer and rebounder Andy Ogide.

With San Diego State (23-8) leading by one with 5.6 seconds left, the Aztecs' Chase Tapley missed the front end of a 1-and-1. The Rams grabbed the rebound, and rather than call timeout, coach Tim Miles had his team push the ball up the floor and look for an open shot.

"I think transition is the best way to get an open shot," Miles said. "You've got to trust your players."

The Rams were unable to get a good shot. Travis Busch's desperation attempt from 28 feet missed, and the fourth-seeded Aztecs sneaked into today's 6 p.m. semifinal against top-seeded New Mexico.

Colorado State (16-15) stayed close despite losing Ogide, a 6-foot-9-inch forward, in the first half. He was ejected with 6:27 left in the half after he elbowed the Aztecs's Brian Carlwell. It was one of three technicals assessed to the Rams, leading to four made free throws by San Diego State.

Tapley, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White scored 15 points each for the Aztecs, who regained the lead with 4:33 to play. D.J. Gay's two free throws with 23 seconds left put them ahead for good.

■ New Mexico 75, Air Force 69 -- Darington Hobson compiled 28 points and 15 rebounds as the eighth-ranked and top-seeded Lobos (29-3) gained their 15th consecutive victory.

The ninth-seeded Falcons (10-21) were within 61-58 with 4:40 remaining, but Hobson and Dairese Gary carried New Mexico the rest of the way. Hobson's final field goal was an off-balance, one-handed put-back of Roman Martinez's missed 3-point shot with 1:38 to play.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.