Jimmer Fredette scored 23 points and Charles Abouo added 22 and 10 rebounds as No. 8 Brigham Young defeated visiting Utah 72-59 on Saturday.

Jackson Emery scored 17 points and matched his career high with six steals as BYU improved to 24-2 for the first time in school history.

Fredette scored 12 points during a decisive 14-0 run and Abouo had 17 first-half points to help the Cougars (24-2, 10-1 Mountain West) win their fourth straight game. The nation’s leading scorer had just eight points in the first 30 minutes before exploding for 12 straight points in less than three minutes, as BYU turned a 48-48 tie into a 14-point lead when Brandon Davies scored with 6:06 remaining.

Will Clyburn scored 16 points and Chris Kupets added 14 for Utah (10-15, 3-8), which scored eight straight points, including two 3-pointers by Clyburn, to pull even at 48-48.

Abouo made 8-of-11 shots and carried BYU in a first half that saw the Cougars leading 31-30. He scored 21 of BYU’s first 42 points. The junior wing was called on for increased duty because starter Kyle Collinsworth missed his second consecutive game with a concussion.