BYU Cougars (15-12, 5-9 Big 12 Conference)
BACK-TO-BACK BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gustin averaged 27.5 points and 16.5 rebounds, including a career-high 33 points, against the Kansas Jayhawks to become the first Big 12 player this season to earn at least a share of the conference Player of the Week honor in back-to-back weeks.
Through 27 games, Gustin leads the nation in total rebounds (417), rebounding average (15.4), defensive rebounds per game (10.4), double-doubles (25) and is 3rd in offensive rebounds per contest (5.0). Gustin also leads the Cougars in scoring at 17.1 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field and minutes played at 36.6.
On Jan. 20, Lauren Gustin became the all-time leading rebounder in BYU women’s basketball history with 1,554 rebounds and counting. The previous record of 1,482 was set by 1980 National Player of the Year Tina Gunn Robison and stood for 44 years. With 1,607 rebounds and counting, Gustin has become the fifth all-time leading rebounder in the history of NCAA women’s basketball.
THE STARTING GUARD LINE IS CRUCIAL: BYU’s starting guardline is the silver bullet for the team’s success. As the guard line goes, the Cougars go.
In BYU’s 15 wins this season, the starting guard line of Amari Whiting, Kailey Woolston and Kaylee Smiler combine for 34.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 3.3 steals and 1.8 blocks. In the 12 losses, the Cougar guard line's stat line decreases in every category as the three combine for just 28.7 points (-5.9), 8.1 rebounds (-4.7), 9.6 assists (-1), 3.2 steals (-0.1), 1.4 blocks (-0.4).
MAGIC NUMBER...66 POINTS OR LESS: Coach Whiting prides her team on their ability to defend. Her defense has held opponents to 65.4 points per game this season and 15 of its 27 opponents to 66 or fewer points. When holding teams under the 66-point threshold, BYU is 14-1, including three-straight wins over No. 18 Baylor, Cincinnati and UCF.
THE MORE YOU SCORE, THE MORE YOU WIN: BYU only scored more than 65 points in 15 of 33 games last season and garnered a 12-3 record when doing so. The Cougars have exceeded the 65-point threshold in 19 of 27 games and hold a 12-7 record when scoring 65 or more.
Head Coach – Amber Whiting
- Alma Mater: BYU, 2001
- Division I Career Record: 31-29 (2nd Season)
- Record at BYU: 31-29 (2nd Season)
TCU Horned Frogs (16-9, 3-9 Big 12 Conference)
CONNER'S BACK AND HASN'T SKIPPED A BEAT: Madison Conner is the leading scorer for the Horned Frogs at 21.5 points per game before sustaining an injury that kept her out for six-straight games. Upon her return, Conner dropped a cool 31 points on 9-of-22 shooting going 7-for-15 from downtown with five boards, two blocks and an assist.
Conner is the leading scorer in the Big 12 and is eight threes away from setting the program record for threes in a season that is currently held by Zahna Medley with 87 during the 2015-16 season.
LIGHTING IT UP FROM BEHIND THE ARC: As a team, the Horned Frogs are producing the third-best single-season 3-pointers per game average in the 25-year history of the Big 12. TCU has made 10 or more threes in 13 of its 25 games this season.
SEDONA PRINCE??: The 6-foot-7 Oregon transfer had a masterful start to the year, averaging 21.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game. In the first meeting with BYU, Prince went 10-for-20 for 20 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, two steals and two assists in the 81-67 win over the Cougars. Prince played in TCU’s next game against the Baylor Bears before suffering a hand injury which has kept her out for the last 12 games.
SYDNEY HARRIS: Harris did not play in the first meeting between BYU and TCU as she was sidelined for the first 15 games of the season with an ankle injury. Since returning to the lineup, the 6-foot-1 sophomore has been nothing short of elite. Harris is the third-leading scorer for the Horned Frogs at 12.6 points per game on 48.3 percent shooting from the floor and 45.6 percent from behind the arc. She also grabs 3.2 rebounds per game.
Harris leads the Big 12 in 3-pointers made per 40 minutes with 5.2. Her 3-pointers per 40 minutes average is the second-best mark in the country, trailing only reigning National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark (6.1).
Head Coach – Mark Campbell
- Alma Mater: Hawaii, 2004
- Division I Career Record: 55-33 (3rd Season)
- Record at Kansas: 16-9 (1st Season)
