The crowd roared every time Jimmer Fredette tickled the twine with his patented jump shot.
It was Jan. 26, 2011, and the No. 9 BYU Cougars were hosting the undefeated No. 4 San Diego State Aztecs, a team that featured future NBA champion Kawhi Leonard. The game was deemed the most anticipated in the history of the Mountain West Conference due to the respective star power of Fredette and Leonard. ESPN reported at the time that tickets to the Marriott Center had been sold out for a week.
Fredette ended the game with 43 points and 5-of-8 shooting from the 3-point line. He played all but one minute. His scoring output accounted for 60% of BYU’s total in the 71-58 win.
Fredette walked onto the floor that night with plenty of local buzz. He’d had a solid junior season and plenty of impressive moments before beating Leonard and the Aztecs