With three starters out for most of the game because of foul trouble, a young Fayetteville team turned to Collin Cooper to keep his team in the game, and the senior did not disappoint as he hit clutch shot after clutch shot in the second half of Friday's game.

"That's just the leadership part of him. That's what I told him as he was walking off the court when I took him out late," Fayetteville coach Kyle Adams said. "It's not the points -- we know he can score the basketball -- it's the leadership and timing of when those points come."

On back-to-back possessions in the third quarter, Cooper extended Fayetteville's lead to six points, which at the time was the Bulldogs' largest lead of the night. He knocked down a 3-pointer to put his team up, then came back down and hit three straight free throws after being fouled behind the arc.

Cooper scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the second half to lead the Bulldogs to the win. The win keeps Fayetteville perfect in conference play, improving to 8-0.

West, which played without suspended coach Greg White, got good production from Dawson Bailey and Jonas Higson, who each had eight points. Everett Constantini hit a huge 3-pointer in the third quarter that closed the gap just four points before Cooper took over.

Fayetteville 11 13 14 18 -- 56

Bentonville West 8 10 13 6 -- 37

Fayetteville (17-3, 8-0): Cooper 20, Garrett 12, T. Releford 7, Barnett 6, A. Releford 5, I. Releford 4, Kinsey 2

Bentonville West (7-14, 1-7): Bailey 8, Higson 8, Swoboda 7, Constantini 6, Hardiman 4, Bailey 2, Conner 2