They let a lot more go in the 2nd half. CSU shot 21 FTs in the 1st half and BYU was whistled for 14 fouls. Once the officials saw that BYU was simply better no matter what they called, they let the teams play. Another thing that BYU did in the 2nd half was go to the basket. In the 1st half, 13 of BYU's 29 shots were 3s. But in the 2nd half just 12 of 31 were 3s. BYU drove to the lane more. Conversely 12 of CSU's 17 3s came in the final 20 minutes.
CSU tried to take a page out of the UNLV play book and play tough, physical, defense on BYU. The difference was CSU didn't try to body up BYU. They reached, pulled, grabbed, swiped, clutched, groped, held, pushed, and shoved BYU players. It was atrocious. They were not playing the ball or the player. They would just hold with no compunction, swing with no regard. I was surprised how little the refs called on CSU in the 1st half. At least with UNLV they're playing tough aggressive defense. CSU was simply playing at thuggery.