Jimmer Fredette will always remember taking the floor in the Sweet 16.
It’s really sentimental. Your adrenaline is so high. The 2011 National Player of the Year and former BYU standout told the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week, “You are excited and ready to play.” “The Sweet 16 is here.” You consider it to be the most important thing in sports. You sense it. It is unavoidable, particularly in the age of social media.
Fredette fiercely adhered to his pregame regimen in order to cope with being a senior in the spotlight, and when the battle finally started—after an endless week of waiting—he set off running.
“The best thing you can do, I tell you folks, is to get out of that first wind and dash (down the floor) as hard as you can in the first few minutes. “You want to reach the second wind as soon as possible,” he stated. “You usually feel a little more at ease when you reach the second one.”
When his Cougars (32-4) took the court against No. 2 seed Florida (28-7) on March 24, 2011, Fredette’s heart was racing because the winner would go to the Elite Eight. The Gators took the lead early on, but the Cougars rallied after BYU, the third seed, got a second wind.
With 2:53 remaining, Fredette’s final 32 points knotted the game at 67. After the Gators’ defense grew more rigid, Florida won 84-73 in overtime. Fourteen years later, BYU will play another No. 2 seed, Alabama, in the Sweet 16 on Thursday (5:09 p.m. MDT, CBS).
Overcoming the Tide
The Crimson Tide (27-8) and Cougars (26-9) approach offense similarly, shooting early and frequently. BYU averages 81 points per game and has made 373 3-pointers. Alabama averages 91 points and has made 357 three-pointers.
Fredette will be keeping an eye on three areas if the Cougars are going to upset the Tide.
Reducing turnovers is crucial. Ensure that we are completing as many shots as Alabama.
“We can’t allow them to get on the offensive glass,” the rebounder said. They are quite athletic. They smash the glass. There will be lengthy rebounds because they shoot a lot from outside.
Free throws: “We must ensure that we reach the line and make our free throws effectively. For us, that is a positive thing. The important thing is that we have been making our free throws lately. The difference in the game was that we made more free throws (15–16) than Wisconsin (23-29). We have to keep doing that.
Fredette had a flashback to the time he did it, in the same location, when BYU swept through the first and second rounds in Denver.
Fredette, whose teams defeated Gonzaga and Wofford in Ball Arena (now the Pepsi Center) to get to the 2011 Sweet 16, remarked, “It was such a cool experience to be back in that building.” “From a fan perspective, it was the first time I had ever watched an NCAA Tournament game live. Therefore, it was a pretty great experience to be able to witness that, feel the atmosphere, and comprehend what people were feeling while we were there.
Although Fredette’s legendary status in Cougar lore is unrestricted, he was surprised by his ongoing popularity outside of the fan base.
“I was stopped by a lot of people, not just BYU supporters but also Wisconsin, Michigan, and VCU supporters, who said, ‘Hey, we appreciate the run (you had) and we loved what you guys did back in that season,’ and they asked for photos and autographs.” That was unique. People genuinely enjoyed that period, and as basketball players, we will always remember it. These guys are currently experiencing the same thing. They will never forget this.
Jimmer takes the three
Wisconsin The Cougars won 91-89 after All-American John Tonje missed a 3-point attempt in the closing seconds of Saturday’s game against BYU. Instead, he dribbled to the baseline and tried a 2-point jumper to force overtime.
“If there was an opening at the top, I definitely shoot it,” Fredette remarked. At the end of the game, it’s difficult when you’re down (low). A foul might not be called. Many of the trees down there have the ability to block shots.
Mawot Mag defended Tonje, who led the Badgers with 37 points, while Keba Keita was nearby to provide support.
It’s challenging to even attempt to reach the rim at that point. Fredette remarked, “I thought he was going to shoot (the 3).” In my opinion, at that point in time, you give him the ball and tell him to “shoot the best shot available,” regardless of whether it’s a 3 or a 2. I believed that a 3 was the best shot available.
Luckily for BYU, Tonje missed the two and missed the three, leaving Wisconsin with nothing on their last drive.