The BYU men's basketball team left for Spain this week. The team will spend 10 days in Spain and play four games.
Returning starters Nate Austin, Kyle Collinsworth, Chase Fischer and Corbin Kaufusi will all have the opportunity to play on the trip and bring their collective experience to the team.
Chase Fischer looks to pass the ball at the game against Southern Virginia last November. Fischer is going to Spain with the Cougars to play four games in 10 days. (BYU Archives)
The Cougars will spend time in Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona during their trip as they play various European teams, including the European Basketball Academy and Eurocolegio Casvi, from Aug. 19 to Aug. 25.
Austin, a 6-foot, 11-inch senior, is returning after suffering a season-ending hamstring injury during a game against Utah last December. He started each of the 10 games he played last year and led the team in rebounds three times.
Collinsworth is also returning for his senior season. Last year was a record-setting season for the athlete. With six triple-doubles in a single season, Collinsworth posted an NCAA record for single season triple-doubles and tied the career record.
Fischer, the third senior returning starter, had 103 3-pointers his junior season, the second most in a single season at BYU.
Kaufusi, a 6-foot, 10-inch sophomore, started the final 13 games last season and averaged 3.4 points per game.
Returning lettermen include Cory Calvert, who played in 2012-13 prior to serving an LDS mission in Boston, and Jake Toolson.
Kyle Davis and Jamal Aytes are new transfers joining the Cougars in Spain and for the upcoming season.
Davis started for Utah State for part of last season before sitting out because of NCAA transfer rules.
Aytes transferred from UNLV in January 2013, but missed last season because of an ankle injury. Davis and Aytes are expected to give the Cougars more scoring options at the post.
Freshmen Cooper Ainge, Jordan Chatman, Nick Emery and Zac Seljaas are also on the trip to Spain.