By Steve Hunt
FoxSportsSouthwest.com
February 17, 2011
On Saturday afternoon at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in Fort Worth, there will be a big crowd on hand to see the TCU men's basketball team host BYU. But a majority of what should be a packed house won't be on hand to see Jim Christian's Horned Frogs. Instead, the building will be filled with curious onlookers anxious to get a firsthand glimpse at Jimmer Fredette.
The 6-foot-2 senior from Glens Falls, New York has been torching opposing defenses almost at will ever since he arrived in Provo several years ago. He has eclipsed the 40-point mark on at least three occasions this year, including a 43-point performance against what was a then unbeaten San Diego State team earlier this season to end the Aztecs' undefeated start.
So, some might wonder, what is so great about this guy? Well, it's pretty simple. Fredette plays the game with such a fervor and zeal, it's hard not to tell how much he loves being on the hardwood. In a sports world where many guys scowl for much of the game, it's truly refreshing to see a guy who enjoys what he's doing out there and also the fact that he's arguably the best player in college basketball this year.
This writer has gotten to see Fredette in person on several occasions. A couple of times it was in Fort Worth against the same Frogs and he never disappointed. But the individual writing this story also got to see him in one of his biggest games to date, in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
It was March 18, 2010 in Oklahoma City and Jimmer's Cougars were a No. 7 seed who drew 10th-seeded Florida in the opening round at the Ford Center. BYU and UF went toe-to-toe for the entire night and by the time regulation play expired, this one was still far from over, so the game headed to overtime.
But not even one extra frame could decide this one as it went to a second overtime. It was in this second extra session that Fredette and teammate Michael Loyd Jr. took over, accounting for 16 of BYU's 18 points as the Cougars prevailed 99-92 over a pesky Gators squad.
All told, Fredette and Loyd Jr. combined for 63 points. Fredette accounted for 37 of those, a total which tied former NBA player and head coach Danny Ainge for the most by a BYU player in the NCAA Tournament.
So, after such a stellar performance on national TV, everyone wanted to see how he would follow such a showing just two days later against second-seeded Kansas State. Once again, Fredette didn't disappoint. In fact, he was a big reason why the Cougars scored the first 10 points of the game and led 10-0 over the Wildcats.
However, after that run, Frank Martin's K-State club woke up and outscored BYU 41-21 the rest of the first half and led 41-31 at the break. The Cougars didn't get too much closer the rest of the night but Fredette did his part, chipping in 21 points, five assists, three rebounds and one steal. But in the end, the Cougars lost 84-72 to a KSU team that got 34 from Jacob Pullen.
Still, it was another solid showing in front of a righteous TV audience on college basketball's biggest stage. Fredette and the Cougars were headed home for the year at a rock-solid 30-6 overall but the national media weren't quite ready to quit talking about the scoring guard from New York state.
Almost immediately, the talk shifted from what a great story Jimmer was in the tournament for the upstart Cougars to what kind of player he would make in the NBA. There was even some thought about whether or not he would return to Provo for his senior season. But he decided to come back to BYU and finish his collegiate career on a very high note.
Whether or not he becomes a star in the league or not, if Fredette has proven one thing in his four years as a Cougar, it's that he is a player who is well worth the price of admission. There has been a considerable amount of buzz about this game in the Metroplex for a number of weeks now and while the game has been close to a sell out for some time, there might be a few loose seats to be had in order to catch a glimpse of the talented Mr. Fredette.
But even if this one is indeed a sell out and even if you're a fan who doesn't pay much attention to college basketball until the Big Dance commences in March, taking in at least a little bit of this game from Cowtown is well worth your time. And just think, you'll already have a head start on some of your friends because you'll already know how great this Jimmer Fredette kid is once he does great things in the 2011 NCAA Tournament much like he did one year ago.
