FORT COLLINS -- In its last conference game of the season, the BYU men's basketball team lost in overtime, 79-75, to Colorado State in Fort Collins Saturday night.
"They made some tough shots," BYU head coach Steve Cleveland said. "We had a chance to win the game, but we didn't rebound, we missed free throws and we didn't get a stop with 12 seconds to go. Those are things we can control."
With ten minutes remaining in the game, BYU led the Rams 52-38. CSU then went on a 21-7 run, capping that drive with a Brian Greene basket with 6.2 seconds remaining in regulation. That sent the Cougars to overtime for the first time in conference play this season. BYU was 0-2 overall in overtime play this season before its loss to CSU.
"We had the lead and then they started to make a run and we didn't do the little things you need to do to win," said BYU center Dan Howard, who started the game for only the second time this season.
"It just goes to show you can never be too comfortable with a lead, especially when you're playing at their place," Howard added.
Early in the overtime period, CSU made two free throws to take its first lead of the game since it led 2-0 at the game's inception. The Rams then built a five-point lead, 75-70, before Travis Hansen hit a three-pointer with nine seconds remaining to pull the Cougars within two, 75-73. Hansen finished the game with 15 points. But solid free throw shooting sealed the victory for CSU, 79-75, as the Rams finished the season 12-17 overall and 3-11 in MWC play.
"I don't want to forget this," Cleveland said. "Let this be the energy and drive so we say, 'We're not going to let this happen again.'"
BYU opened the game with an 11-1 run and maintained that lead throughout the first half. Jared Jensen led the Cougars with 10 first half points, earning six of those on 6-of-6 shooting from the free throw line. Jensen led all Cougars with 18 points for the game.
The Cougars pushed their lead to 35-21 with 4:50 remaining in the half, riding on its solid post play and accurate shooting. However, BYU would not score for the remainder of the half while the Rams went on a 7-0 run to make the score 35-26 at the break.
With the loss, BYU finishes the regular season 17-10 overall and 7-7 in the MWC, with all seven of its losses coming on the road. Eric Nielsen poured in 14 points before fouling out late in the game, and Mark Bigelow scored 12 second half points after not scoring at all in the first half.
Senior guard Matt Montague drew within nine assists of Nate Call's single-season assist record of 204. Montague had seven assists and seven points for the game.
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
BRIGHAM YOUNG Cougars vs Colorado State University
3-2-02 7:00 p.m. at Moby Arena (Fort Collins, Colo.)
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VISITORS: BRIGHAM YOUNG Cougars 17-10 (7-7 MWC)
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
03 BIGELOW, Mark....... f 3-6 1-2 5-7 0 1 1 2 12 0 3 0 1 31
25 NIELSEN, Eric....... f 6-13 1-3 1-2 0 6 6 5 14 1 1 0 1 33
40 HOWARD, Dan......... c 2-4 0-0 0-0 4 2 6 5 4 1 1 0 1 22
02 HANSEN, Travis...... g 4-13 2-4 5-7 1 3 4 3 15 2 4 0 1 43
31 MONTAGUE, Matt...... g 2-5 1-2 2-4 1 4 5 4 7 7 4 0 1 45
10 NASHIF, Terry....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0+
20 BOBIK, Daniel....... 1-2 1-1 0-0 0 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 13
22 BALDERSON, Jimmy.... 1-2 0-0 0-1 1 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 9
32 JEPSEN, Bart........ 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6
42 CARLISLE, Jon....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2
52 JENSEN, Jared....... 5-7 0-0 8-8 1 0 1 3 18 0 1 1 1 21
TEAM................ 2 2 1
Totals.............. 24-52 6-12 21-29 10 18 28 27 75 11 16 1 7 225
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-22 54.5% 2nd Half: 8-24 33.3% OT: 4-6 66.7% Game: 46.2% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 4-7 57.1% 2nd Half: 1-3 33.3% OT: 1-2 50.0% Game: 50.0% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 7-9 77.8% 2nd Half: 7-10 70.0% OT: 7-10 70.0% Game: 72.4% 2
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HOME TEAM: Colorado State University 12-17 (3-11 MWC)
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
25 BROWN, Matt......... f 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 13
33 GREENE, Brian....... f 7-16 0-0 8-10 5 4 9 3 22 2 4 1 3 35
54 NELSON, Matt........ c 4-8 0-0 12-16 2 7 9 0 20 0 3 5 1 37
10 RAKIECKI, Jon....... g 0-4 0-4 0-0 1 1 2 5 0 1 1 0 1 20
11 BIRLEY, Andy........ g 6-10 6-10 4-4 1 2 3 4 22 1 1 1 0 35
02 MACKLIN, Joe........ 2-3 0-0 3-4 0 2 2 2 7 3 2 0 2 38
03 SMITH, Quantone..... 1-5 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 3
13 ROBINSON, Freddy.... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 13
20 CLARK, Ronnie....... 3-4 0-0 0-0 2 5 7 5 6 1 3 0 1 21
34 BURKE, Darian....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1
42 WILLIAMS, Matt...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 9
Team................ 1 1
Totals.............. 23-50 6-14 27-34 13 24 37 24 79 9 18 7 9 225
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 7-16 43.8% 2nd Half: 13-30 43.3% OT: 3-4 75.0% Game: 46.0% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-5 20.0% 2nd Half: 4-8 50.0% OT: 1-1 100 % Game: 42.9% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 11-14 78.6% 2nd Half: 3-6 50.0% OT: 13-14 92.9% Game: 79.4% 3
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Officials: Lonnie Dixon, Mike Giarratano, Larry Spaulding
Technical fouls: BRIGHAM YOUNG Cougars-None. Colorado State University-None.
Attendance: 2587
Score by Periods 1st 2nd OT Total
BRIGHAM YOUNG Cougars......... 35 24 16 - 75
Colorado State University..... 26 33 20 - 79
Points in the paint-BY 32,CS 24. Points off turnovers-BY 13,CS 16.
2nd chance points-BY 7,CS 8. Fast break points-BY 7,CS 2.
Bench points-BY 23,CS 15. Score tied-4 times. Lead changes-4 times.