Blue Team Pulls Out 62-60 OT Victory in Varsity Preview

PROVO -- The blue team overcame a 14-point halftime deficit and won the Varsity Preview 62-60 when Eric Nielsen hit two free throws in overtime.

The game gave many of BYU's bench players a chance to see action in a game that proved to be very competitive.

"You have a lot of guys here who have never really played college basketball," head coach Steve Cleveland said. "The people who have been watching from the bench now need to get in there and play in a game situation."

The leading scorer on the night was Jon Carlise, a University of Utah transfer, who finished with 16 points splitting time between both teams.

Carlisle had eight first-half points on the white squad and equaled that total in the second half for the blue team.

Mark Bigelow led the blue team's second-half surge scoring three three-point buckets and all 11 of his points after the break.

The Cougars played the preview game after holding a three-hour practice earlier in the day.

BYU next plays an exhibition game at home against EA Sports at 7 p.m. Tues. in the Marriott Center.