Fredette scores 26, leads BYU over Vermont in N.Y. hometown

Hometown hero Jimmer Fredette scored 26 points to lift No. 18 BYU past Vermont 86-58 last night in Glens Falls, N.Y.

A senior guard and Associated Press preseason All-America who starred at Glens Falls High School, Fredette made his first three shots for the Cougars (9-0).

Brendan Bald scored 14 points for the Catamounts (6-2), who made the opening basket but never held another lead.

Fredette's three-point play with 8:23 remaining put the Cougars up by 20 points, but it was his behind-the-back assist to Kyle Collinsworth on the next trip down court that electrified the crowd.

After playing 34 minutes, Fredette left to an extended standing ovation, capping his return to this city of 14,000, which has embraced his career for the better part of a decade, including a close loss in the 2007 Class A state title game on the same court.

In other games:

* At Duke, Andre Dawkins scored a career-high 28 points in his first start to help the No. 1 Blue Devils (9-0) beat Bradley, 83-48, moving coach Mike Krzyzewski into sole possession of third place on the all-time wins list with 877. Dawkins started for star freshman point guard Kyrie Irving, who is out indefinitely with a toe injury on his right foot.

* At Pittsburgh, Dante Taylor had 14 points and 10 rebounds and led the No. 3 Panthers (10-0) to a 70-42 victory over Delaware State.

* At Connecticut, Kemba Walker scored 21 points and the No. 6 Huskies (8-0) routed Fairleigh Dickinson, 78-54.

* At Louisville, Peyton Siva and Terrence Jennings scored 14 points each to lead the No. 24 Cardinals (7-0) to a 61-35 victory over San Francisco.

* At Illinois, Demetri McCamey had 29 points to lead the No. 16 Illini (9-1) over Oakland, 74-63.

* At Missouri, Marcus Denmon made a clinching three-point play off his steal with 5.8 seconds to go in overtime as the No. 15 Tigers (7-1) held off Vanderbilt, 85-82. Denmon scored all but two of his 21 points after halftime.

* At Kentucky, Terrence Jones scored 27 points as No. 17 Kentucky (6-2) defeated No. 23 Notre Dame (8-1), 72-58, in the SEC/Big East Invitational. Ben Hansbrough led the Irish with 21 points.

* At UNLV, Chace Stanback had 16 points and six rebounds to lead the No. 20 Rebels (9-0) to a 75-72 victory over Boise State.

* At California, Kawhi Leonard's 20 points led No. 14 San Diego State (9-0) over the Golden Bears, 77-57.

* Marquette senior forward Joseph Fulce is out indefinitely with a severe bone contusion in his left knee. *