BYU basketball notes: Awards piling up for Cougars’ Mika

Malibu, Calif. • BYU center Eric Mika has improved dramatically since his last visit to Pepperdine's Firestone Fieldhouse.

On Dec. 30, 2013, then-freshman Mika fouled out of an eventual 70-64 loss to the Waves after scoring 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting.

Mika missed BYU's last two visits to Pepperdine while on a church mission in Italy.

He got off to a rough start Thursday, picking up two quick fouls and spending a lot of the first half on the bench.

Before Thursday's late game at Pepperdine, Mika was honored for his achievements in the classroom. The sophomore was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Team. To be eligible, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve with at…