FORT WORTH, Texas — Three Cougars finished in double figures as BYU fell to the No. 23 TCU 81-67 in its first Big 12 women’s basketball game on Saturday night.
“Welcome to the Big 12,” said BYU head coach Amber Whiting. “It was good for our girls to experience the level of basketball that they are going step out on the court against every single night. There are no easy games and every single player that we face is going to be really good, so I thought tonight was a good challenge for us.”
The Cougars (10-4; 0-1 Big 12) assisted on 19 of 24 made field goals and shot 38.7 percent from the floor, going 9-of-24 from three while the Horned Frogs (14-0; 1-0 Big 12) shot a blistering 50.8 percent from the field and went 8-for-16 from downtown. BYU committed only seven turnovers on the night, the Cougars' best mark this season while forcing six TCU turnovers.
Kailey Woolston led BYU with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting, going 3-for-8 from behind the loop. The freshman also recorded four assists, a steal and a rebound in her first Big 12 action. Her freshman backcourt mate Amari Whiting finished with 13 points going 5-for-6 from the charity stripe while notching six assists, five rebounds and a steal.
Lauren Gustin notched her nation-leading 12th double-double of the year and 68th of her career with 10 points and 16 rebounds while also notching a steal on the night.
1st Quarter
The Horned Frogs scored the first nine points of the game before Kaylee Smiler knocked down two free throws to score the first points of BYU’s Big 12 era. After a block by Smiler, Whiting found Gustin in the short corner for a jumper to cut the deficit to four at 9-4.
On the next TCU possession, Whiting picked the pocket of TCU guard Jaden Owens who then fouled Whiting sending her to the line. The freshman was a perfect 2-for-2 from the charity stripe to draw within three. After another steal by Emma Calvert, Woolston kicked to Calvert at the top of the key for three to cap a 9-0 BYU run over 2:41 to knot the game at nine.
Over the next 1:46, the Horned Frogs scored eight consecutive points to take a 17-9 lead before a floater from Whiting ended the run.
2nd Quarter
Woolston scored the first five BYU points of the second with a floater in the lane and right-wing three to keep the Cougars within nine. After the Frogs pushed the lead to 11, Woolston hit Lauren Davenport in the left corner for three with Whiting hitting a three on an ensuing possession to pull BYU within seven with 5:36 left in the half.
After another basket by the Frogs, Whiting penetrated the zone and kicked to Woolston who pulled the quick-trigger three to cut the lead to four. A quick four points for TCU retook an eight-point lead at the half, 39-31.
3rd Quarter
Following a baseline jumper from Gustin to open the third, TCU scored eight straight points to take a 16-point lead with 6:59 left in the quarter, 49-33. Woolston snapped the run with a right-baseline jumper off an inbound pass from Whiting.
The Horned Frogs held the Cougars scoreless for 2:34 while stretching their lead to a game-high 18 at 53-37. TCU would extend the lead to 21 before a three-point play by Smiler trimmed it to 18 with 20 seconds left in the third. A high score off the glass for the Horned Frogs with time expiring gave TCU a 20-point advantage heading to the final 10 minutes.
4th Quarter
After the Frogs took a game-high 23-point advantage, the Cougars used a 10-0 run to climb within 13 with 5:35 to play. Back-to-back jumpers from Gustin sparked the run with Woolston hitting her third three of the game followed by two free throws from Whiting.
TCU had an answer for the Cougar's run with three-point plays from Sedona Prince and Jaden Owens on consecutive possessions to retake a 19-point lead with 4:27 to play. BYU pulled within 14 with a three from Whiting and jumpers from Woolston and Rose Bubakar, but time expired with the Horned Frogs earning an 81-67 win over the Cougars.
BYU will be back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 3, as the Oklahoma Sooners travel to Provo to take on the Cougars at the Marriott Center at 7 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Spencer Linton and Kristen Kolzlowski on the call. Fans can also tune into live play-by-play with Jason Shepherd on BYU Radio 107.9, byuradio.org and the BYU Radio App.