Know those highlights of BYU guard Jimmer Fredette pulling up well, well behind the 3-point line and nailing a shot? Well, Air Force saw it firsthand. Fredette hit about a jumper from about 30 or 35 feet against the Falcons in the first meeting (click the video on this link and go to 1:42 to see it).

How do you defend that?

“Pray,” Air Force coach Reynolds joked. “Punt.”

Joking aside,the Falcons had to spend time discussing what to do with Fredette when he is 45, 50 feet from the basket, because he has longer range than anyone in college basketball. Reynolds said they broke down Fredette’s tendencies when he brings the ball up. He said Fredette brought it up across half court nine times against Air Force and didn’t pass any of those instances, scoring four times on those trips.

The coaches also had to tell the players to keep paying attention no matter where Fredette is on the floor. When he hit the long range shot against the Falcons, he looked off guard Todd Fletcher and pulled up quick when Fletcher let up.

“You tell them ‘Keep your hands up,’” Reynolds said. “It was one of those things where Todd thought he was going to pass because he looked off. The minute he saw Todd look off, boom, he shot it. And he’s shooting from 40 feet. So as a defender you’re saying ‘I can relax, I can put my hands down.’”

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