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Fredette shaky, but delivers late as BYU edges Wyoming

Feb 3, 2011 - 4:41 AM Laramie, WY (Sports Network) - Jimmer Fredette had one of his worst shooting performances of the season but came through when it counted, as the nation's leading scorer converted a three-point play with 47.6 seconds remaining to help No. 8 BYU get past Wyoming, 69-62.

The surprisingly close Mountain West Conference affair came down to the final minute thanks to a nearly five-minute scoreless stretch by the Cougars.

Fredette ended their futility with a driving layup while getting fouled, making the free throw for a 64-60 edge, and Brandon Davies added a three-point play of his own on the next possession to send the Cowboys to their sixth straight loss.

Fredette ended with 26 points but shot just 7-of-21, while Davies chipped in 20 points and nine rebounds for BYU (21-2, 7-1 MWC), which rebounded from Saturday's loss at New Mexico.

Desmar Jackson paced Wyoming with 23 points, but it wasn't enough for the Cowboys (8-14, 1-7) to stop their skid.

Neither team led by more than five in the first 10 minutes of the second half until a 10-2 run gave BYU some breathing room.

Jackson Emery made two free throws with 6:04 remaining for a 59-49 lead, but after the teams traded baskets, Wyoming scored nine straight points to pull within one.

Jackson's 1-for-2 effort at the stripe cut the margin to 61-60 with 2:05 to play, and the Cowboys spoiled chances to take the lead on their next two touches.

After Davies missed two at the foul line, Jackson turned the ball over. Wyoming got the ball back on Amath M'Baye's steal, but Davies blocked Djibril Thiam's seemingly easy lay-in under the basket.

Thiam stepped out of bounds collecting the loose ball, and three-point plays from Fredette and Davies on BYU's next two possessions sealed the outcome.

"This was a great team win," BYU head coach Dave Rose said. "Wyoming had a lot of fight in them and we couldn't get rid of them. Wyoming did a great job defending us and we could never really get into a rhythm offensively."

BYU came out sluggish and trailed, 14-8, eight minutes into the game prior to rattling off 15 straight points.

Wyoming refused to cower, scoring 12 of the final 15 points of the stanza for a tie game, 28-28, at the break.

Game Notes

BYU has not lost two in a row since the 2008-09 campaign..Rose is 12-0 against the Cowboys...Emery scored 12 points for the Cougars...Francisco Cruz recorded 16 points and nine rebounds for Wyoming, which got 12 points from Thiam...BYU heads back to Provo to face UNLV on Saturday, the same day Wyoming looks to get back on track against Colorado State.