Fredette fuels BYU past Utah

PROVO, Utah -- Jimmer Fredette scored 36 points, 23 in the second half, and No. 12 Brigham Young built a big lead before holding off Utah 82-69 Saturday for its sixth victory in the last seven meetings between the longtime rivals.

Tyler Haws added 15 points and seven rebounds, and Jackson Emery finished with eight points, seven rebounds and six steals for BYU (21-2, 6-1 Mountain West Conference). Utah (10-11, 3-4) trimmed an 18-point deficit to four but couldn't complete the comeback.

Jay Watkins led the Utes with 18 points and 11 rebounds, scoring 13 in the second half as Utah got more aggressive on both ends of the floor to get back in the game.

In a physical game, players from both teams had to be separated after a scuffle on the baseline with 34 seconds left. Officials and coaches kept it from escalating.

Emery and Utah's Marshall Henderson had some words before an inbounds play after the Cougars had wrapped up the win. Henderson flailed his arm as he walked away from Emery, who appeared to take the shot right on the chin and went down hard. BYU's Jonathan Tavernari immediately went after Henderson and had to be held back as both benches emptied.

Henderson was ejected for a flagrant foul, and both teams were calmed down enough for the postgame handshake.

• No. 23 New Mexico 73, Texas Christian 57 -- At Fort Worth, Texas, Darington Hobson scored 19 points, and the Lobos stretched their winning streak to six games with a victory over the Horned Frogs.

Plagued by turnovers, pesky TCU was still close until Hobson scored consecutive baskets for the Lobos (20-3, 6-2) to start a 9-0 run in a three-minute span in the second half. Hobson's tip-in pushed the lead to 43-32 with about 13 minutes left, and the Horned Frogs got no closer than nine after that.

Before that spurt, TCU (10-12, 2-5) pulled within 34-32 on Zvonko Buljan's 3-pointer.

The Lobos clinched their third consecutive 20-win season under third-year coach Steve Alford.

• Air Force 70, Wyoming 63 -- At Air Force Academy, Colo., Evan Washington scored eight of his career-high 23 points in the final 1:21 as the Falcons beat the Cowboys (9-12, 2-5) to snap a 22-game conference losing streak.

The win was the first MWC victory for the Falcons (9-11, 1-6) since March 5, 2008.

• San Diego State 64, Colorado State 52 -- At Fort Collins, Colo., Kawhi Leonard had a double-double in the first half and finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Aztecs over the Rams (12-9, 3-4).

Leonard helped the Aztecs (15-6, 4-3) establish a 32-24 halftime lead with 12 points and 10 rebounds in the first half.