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SALT LAKE CITY -- The historic season for the BYU cougar basketball team is over. The Cougars landed at the Provo Airport, with anxious Cougar fans waiting to welcome them home.
The boys in blue lost in overtime Thursday night to the Florida Gators 83-74. They gave Florida a battle throughout the entire game even as Jimmer Fredette pushed on with a cut chin and cramped calf. He had 32 points and was the only player in double digits.
About 100 fans showed up at the airport in cold, windy and snowy weather.
...Even when we lose, they've been great all year the fans that supported us so it's been a lot of fun.
–Jimmer Fredette
The Cougars finished the season 32-5, which will go down as one of the best seasons in school history. They were brought back to Utah with a basketball hero's welcome on Friday morning.
"It's great to have them here," Fredette said. "You know even when we lose, they've been great all year, the fans that supported us, so it's been a lot of fun."
The team was somewhat surprised to see some die-hard fans brave the elements to welcome them home.
"We weren't expecting them but it's nice to have them here and know they were here to the end," senior guard Jackson Emery said.
The Cougars did not have much time to think about the previous night's loss.
"We had to wake up early this morning to leave but I slept a little bit," Fredette said. "It's over, but you know we had a great run and we'll remember the things that we did do that we accomplished."
"It's been a terrific run," Emery said. "You know, it's tough -- you never want to end your career losing, but that's life sometimes, that you can't always end up on top. But it's been a terrific career, accomplished a lot of things individually and as a team. I'm just happy to move on now."
The season is over, 32 wins, 5 losses, and now Jimmer Fredette will go on, expected to go on to the NBA first-round pick. Jackson Emery also plans on playing professionally somewhere, if not in the NBA, then overseas.
After their first sweet 16 appearance in the last 30 years, it was a well-deserved welcome back to cold and windy and snowy Utah.
Email: rzundel@ksl.com
