Fischer, Collinsworth lead BYU by Pacific for first road win

STOCKTON, Calif. — Chase Fischer poured in 23 points to help the BYU men's basketball team pick up the first true road win of the season with an 81-67 win at Pacific in West Coast Conference play Saturday evening.

Fischer made six 3-pointers for the Cougars, who moved to 10-5 on the season and 1-1 in WCC play. The senior from Ripley, West Virginia, topped the 20-point mark for the fourth-straight game.

Kyle Collinsworth added 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Cougars, and freshman Zac Seljaas had 14 points with four 3-pointers with five rebounds.

The win was BYU's first victory in a true road game in 2015-16. The Cougars previously lost at Long Beach State, Utah, Colorado and Saint Mary's, and had not won a road game since winning at Gonzaga last February before the conference tournament in Las Vegas.

"It's big. It's a big confidence booster, especially coming from the Saint Mary's game," Seljaas told KSL NewsRadio's Greg Wrubell. "We're getting more confident in conference play."

Seljaas scored in double figures for the second time in three games, and has made at least one 3-pointer for eight straight games since Dec. 9 against Utah State. The former Bountiful standout has converted on 28-of-45 attempts (62 percent) from deep.

"I think everyone's expecting him to shoot them, but some of those are tough shots. He really gives us energy," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "Zac's ability to jump up and make a shot spreads throughout the whole team. Those starters can feel the energy from him, and it helped."

Nate Austin pulled down 10 rebounds for the Cougars, who shot just 44 percent from the field — two points worse than the Tigers (3-10, 2-2 WCC). But BYU outrebounded Pacific 38-30, including a 14-8 advantage on the offensive glass, to help make up for the disparity.

Jacob Lampkin led Pacific with 14 points and five rebounds. David Taylor added 13 points for the Tigers, and teammate Ilias Theodorou chipped in 12.

But the Cougars limited Pacific's usual shooters, including holding T.J. Wallace to just eight points on 1-of-4 shooting, with six free throws. And the Tigers tied the game at 43-43 with 13:02 left before BYU made one last run to pull away for good.

BYU was playing its fifth game away from the Marriott Center. The Cougars last played at home Dec. 18 against Central Michigan.

"You don't just go out and schedule five games away from your building," Rose said. "It seems like we've been on the road for a long time. But this was a good way to finish up, and now get home and get started on a new year."

BYU returns home for its WCC home opener Thursday against Santa Clara. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. MST on ESPNU.

"Our guys are excited to get home," Rose said. "To get to Thursday and Saturday with our home crowd, and to go through the routine of a home game, it seems like it's been quite a while since we've done that.

"We really haven't had a true home game, as far as the routine is concerned, since Utah State on Dec. 9. But we've got two big weekends behind that on the road."

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