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Fredette leads BYU over TCU to gain MWC semis

Mar 11, 2011 - 1:00 AM Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - Jimmer Fredette, the nation's leading scorer, poured in 24 points and made two big free throws with 12 seconds remaining, as the eighth-ranked BYU Cougars snuck past the TCU Horned Frogs, 64-58, in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Charles Abouo added 14 points and eight rebounds for the top-seeded Cougars (29-3), who will take on New Mexico in the semifinals on Friday.

Noah Hartsock donated 10 points and seven boards for BYU, which earned a spot in the semis for a fifth consecutive season.

"I was really pleased with how we competed," BYU head coach Dave Rose said. "I thought our team in crucial situations got big rebounds. We made big shots. We made big free throws. We were able to win that first round game, which is very difficult, to play a team for the third time."

Greg Hill and Hank Thorns each finished with 15 points for the ninth-seeded Horned Frogs (11-22), who beat Wyoming in the opening round on Wednesday to snap a 13-game skid.

J.R. Cadot and Garlon Green donated 12 and 11 points, respectively, for TCU, which went 9-of-19 from beyond the arc.

With the score tied at 40-40 with 14:41 to play, the Cougars put together a 14-6 run. Hartsock tallied five points during the surge, which Fredette capped with a pair of free throws for a 54-46 margin with 3:53 to go.

Nikola Cerina stopped the bleeding with a layup. He was fouled on the play, but missed his free throw. Jackson Emery then turned the ball over, leading to Cerina's slam for a 54-50 game with 3:16 remaining.

Kyle Collinsworth's free throw gave BYU a five-point lead. Cerina then turned the ball over, and Fredette made a three-pointer to make it 58-50 with 1:41 to go.

Hartsock added two free throws moments later to give the Cougars a 60-51 margin. But Hill recorded a four-point play and made a three-pointer to suddenly cut the gap to 60-58 with 25 seconds remaining.

Fredette came up clutch for BYU again, making two free throws with 12 ticks left for a four-point cushion. Thorns missed a layup for the Horned Frogs, and Emery made two foul shots to seal the victory.

Neither team led by more than seven in a tight first half that resulted in TCU taking a 34-33 edge into the locker room.

BYU started the second half on a 7-0 flurry to take a 40-34 margin on Collinsworth's layup with 16 1/2 minutes to play.

But the Horned Frogs scored the next six points to make it a 40-40 game just two minutes later.

Game Notes

BYU leads the all-time series by a 19-3 count...The Cougars have won this tournament three times...BYU went 6-of-23 from beyond the arc...The Cougars outrebounded TCU by a 33-25 margin...Emery had nine points...Fredette shot 7- of-21 from the field.