Jimmer Fredette. It’s a name worth about 30 points.
After ending a three-game losing skid with a 71-46 victory over TCU on Wednesday at The Pit, the UNM men’s basketball team will now face off with No. 9 BYU at home Saturday.
The Cougars are coming off of a huge win in Provo, Utah, over No. 4 and previously undefeated San Diego State on Wednesday. BYU smashed SDSU 71-58.
“We know we’re playing a big-time team,” head coach Steve Alford said. “We know what we got coming in Saturday, regardless of what happened (Wednesday) night.”
The Lobos had the luxury of playing the Horned Frogs without their leading scorer, Ronnie Moss, who mysteriously did not make the trip to Albuquerque. UNM won’t be afforded that blessing this time around and also must face a scoring menace in Fredette.
Fredette, a leading candidate for college basketball’s National Player of the Year, tops the nation in scoring with 27.4 points per contest. Fredette hit the 40-point mark three times this season and has done so in the Cougars’ last two games.
Fredette finished off the Aztecs with 43 points. He had 20 at the midway point.
All that said, Alford promised he has found a way to stop Fredette.
“(We’re going to have to) put up detour signs and hope he doesn’t find The Pit,” Alford said. “This is a (NBA Draft) lottery pick and this is a big-time player who is having a phenomenal year. He is just not MVP of our league, but is up for honors for National Player of the Year.”
As far as the Lobo players are concerned, they are ready to compete with another top-10 team coming into The Pit.
Drew Gordon, who had his fifth double-double of the season against TCU, said the Lobos have played with toughness this season; it’s just they have to contend with more intelligence.
Gordon said BYU doesn’t have just Fredette.
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“You always got be on your toes when you’re playing basketball,” Gordon said. “Watching BYU and how much they drive-and-kick is how we’re going to guard them on Saturday.”
Gordon said point guard Dairese Gary will try his hardest to neutralize Fredette.
“I am fully confident that Dairese is going to do his job and guard Jimmer and make sure to make it easier on the whole team,” he said. “He is our senior and our leader, so you know we’re just going to have to deal with them and go over it in practice.”
