Oklahoma City, OK (Sports Network) - Jimmer Fredette drilled a pair of huge three-pointers in the second overtime period and finished with 37 points, as BYU ended an eight-game NCAA Tournament losing streak with a 99-92 victory over Florida in the first round of the West Region.
BYU Advances Past Florida In Double-OT, 99-92
Michael Loyd Jr. chipped in 26 points for BYU (30-5), which last won an NCAA tourney game in 1993 as a seventh seed in the first round against SMU. The Cougars, seeded seventh again this year, will next play the winner between Kansas State and North Texas in the second round on Saturday.
Another win could give the Cougars a huge advantage next weekend, as the West Region semifinals and final will be played in Salt Lake City. BYU, however, hasn’t advanced past the second round since 1981 when the Cougars, behind Danny Ainge, knocked off Princeton, UCLA and Notre Dame before falling to Virginia in the regional final.
Kenny Boynton scored 27 points before fouling out in the second extra period for Florida (21-13), which was back in the NCAA Tournament after a two-year absence. The Gators had won the national championship in each of their last two tourney appearances and lost an NCAA game for the first time since a second-round setback to Villanova in 2005.
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