BYU and Boise State face off in Saturday afternoon matchup

PROVO, Utah — BYU will take on the Boise State Broncos in a mid-day matinee at the Marriott Center on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT with the game broadcast live on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Fans can also tune in for live play-by-play with Jason Shepherd on BYU Radio 107.9 FM or BYU Radio.org/BYU Radio app.

Series Breakdown

The Cougars hold a 13-8 advantage over the Broncos in the series and are 8-3 at the Marriott Center. BYU has won the previous two meetings including a 76-67 win on Dec. 1 last year in Boise.

BYU Cougars (7-2, 0-0 Big 12)

• Freshmen Phenoms: Kailey Woolston and Amari Whiting are averaging 27.0 points per game, 8.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists thus far. 

  • Woolston: The Lone Peak H.S. product is currently the 13th-highest scorer in the Big 12 and has the tenth most points per game by a freshman in the NCAA at 15.1 per game. Woolston holds the outright Big 12 lead in three-point percentage (.553), which is good for sixth in the country. The freshman is second in three-pointers per game at 2.9, and seventh in total field goal percentage (.573).

  • Whiting: The product of Burley H.S. is averaging 11.9 points per game on 43.4 percent shooting, going 38.9 percent from downtown while grabbing 4.4 rebounds and dishing 3.4 assists. The highly-tabbed recruit set three career highs against Utah State; points (19), field goals (6), steals (3) and blocks (1).
• Lighting it up from downtown: The Cougars have shot 41.7 percent from downtown through eight games, 6.9 percent higher than their 2022-23 average and good for sixth in the country. A year ago, Kaylee Smiler was the only BYU player to shoot over 40 percent from three. This season, the Cougars have four players shooting over 38.9 percent from three through nine games, all having attempted more than 15 triples.
• National Leader Once Again: Through nine games, Gustin leads the nation in total rebounds (137), rebounding average (15.2), defensive rebounds per game (11.3) and double-doubles (7). The senior is 155 rebounds away from breaking the all-time BYU rebounding record held by the 1980 National Player of the Year Tina Gunn Robison.

Head Coach – Amber Whiting

• Alma Mater: BYU, 2001
• Division I Career Record: 23-19 (2^nd Season)
• Record at BYU:  23-19 (2^nd Season)

Boise State Broncos (7-2, 0-0 Mountain West Conference)

• Natalie Pasco: In Boise State’s decisive 87-66 victory over CSU Bakersfield, Pasco led the Broncos in scoring with Mya Hansen, each tallying 15 points. Pasco maintains her position as the team’s leading scorer, averaging 14.3 points per game, standing as the sole Bronco scoring in double figures.

• Mya Hansen: Hansen, currently the second-highest scorer on the roster, maintains a solid average of 9.6 points per game. In the win over the Roadrunners, the sophomore guard went 4-5 from the field, including a perfect 2-2 from beyond the 3-point line, contributing 15 points.
• Shooting from range: Boise State scored a season-high 87 points in its latest outing, making 12 triples in the win. The Broncos went 12-for-24 from behind the arc and 52.6 percent from the field to move to 7-2 on the season.

Head Coach – Gordy Presnell

• Alma Mater: Northwest Nazarene, 1983
• Division I Career Record: 737-356 (37th Season)
• Record at Utah State: 341-229 (19th Season)