Gibb, Calvert lead BYU to 69-55 win over Colorado State

PROVO, Utah — Delaney Gibb and Emma Calvert scored 19 and 17 points, respectively, as BYU women’s basketball used another strong second half to defeat Colorado State 69-55 on Wednesday at the Marriott Center.

Despite trailing 28-22 at the half, the Cougars shot 60 percent in the third quarter and held CSU to a 33-percent clip from the field while winning the period 26-12. In a 76-63 win over Wyoming on Nov. 9, BYU outscored the Cowgirls 31-6 in the third while outshooting them 63 percent to eight percent in the frame. 

BYU has now outscored its last two opponents 57-18 in the third quarter.

Gibb was critical to the Cougars’ third-quarter firepower with three of her four triples on the day coming in the period. The reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Week added five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block to her 19 points versus the Rams.

Calvert’s 17 points came on 7-of-11 shooting from the field to go along with six rebounds, three assists and a block.

Amari Whiting added nine points, eight boards and four assists while Kambree Barber and Kemery Congdon pitched-in six points each.

For the game, BYU outshot CSU 41-34 percent from the floor. The Rams knocked down four 3-pointers in the first half but were held without a trey in the second half while the Cougars knocked down six of their eight triples in the latter half.

BYU also outscored CSU 7-0 in fastbreak points and registered 16 assists on 25 made shots while allowing the Rams just six helpers on 20 field goals. The Cougars controlled the paint with advantages of 32-24 in scoring and 41-36 in rebounding while tallying five blocked shots.

BOX SCORE

First Quarter

The Cougars and Rams traded scores on the way to an early 7-7 tie. Gibb put BYU on the board first with a driving lay-in, then squared the game 4-4 as she went inside to Calvert who squeezed a shot up and in at the rim. CSU knocked down its first triple of the game to go up 7-4 before BYU responded with Whiting driving through contact to score and drain the ensuing free throw.

Whiting put BYU in front 9-7 moments later as she fought off a defender to secure the offensive rebound and go back up and off the glass for a deuce. The Rams responded with a 10-3 run before Kambree Barber stemmed the tide with a 3-pointer, cutting the Cougar deficit to 17-13.

CSU ended the quarter on top 19-13 after making five of its last seven shots from the field while BYU went 1-for-7 to close the period.

Second Quarter

The Cougars drew within one in the opening sequences of the quarter with key plays on both ends of the floor. Calvert scored at the rim to put BYU within four at 19-15. CSU’s next two positions came up empty with Gibb drawing a charge, then Hudgins blocking a shot moments after draining a top of the key three.

The Rams went back up 23-18 before Kemery Congdon beat a defender to score off the glass, trimming the deficit back to a one-score game at 23-20.

Despite BYU’s defense forcing a two-and-half-minute scoreless stretch from CSU, the Cougars were unable to capitalize and finished the final five minutes of the half without a field goal.

The Cougars trailed 28-22 at the break after shooting 26 percent from the field and 2-for-17 from distance. CSU shot 35 percent from the field but its four 3-pointers proved the difference in the half. Whiting led all BYU players with five points and four rebounds through two quarters of play.

Third Quarter

After offensive struggles in the second quarter, BYU flipped the script and more than doubled up CSU with a 26-12 advantage in the third.

The Cougars retook the lead at 31-28 with an 8-0 run to open the half. BYU capitalized on a Ram intentional foul with Congdon hitting a pair of free throws followed by a score in the paint from Calvert. Whiting followed that scoring spurt with steals on consecutive CSU possessions and turned both into BYU points with a triple from Gibb and Congdon lay-in.

Both teams traded buckets over the ensuing minutes with a 3-point play from Brinley Cannon and Davenport drilling a three from distance to keep BYU up 37-35.

The Cougars’ newfound rhythm on offense quickly turned a one-possession edge into a double-digit lead with another 8-0 run.

Gibb hit back-to-back 3-pointers, then dished the ball inside to Calvert who spun and scored off the window to give BYU the 45-35 lead. Kambree Barber notched a putback score and free throw make for a 3-point play that concluded the quarter with the Cougars in front 48-40.

Fourth Quarter

BYU clung to a 50-47 lead three minutes into the quarter after a 7-2 CSU start. Calvert and Gibb then led the Cougars in outscoring the Rams 19-8 over the final seven minutes of play.

The senior forward Calvert scored down low and drained a pair of free throws while Gibb turned a steal into two points for Whiting the other way as BYU went up 56-47. A jumper from Calvert, a slashing scoring drive from Cannon and another Gibb 3-pointer pushed the Cougars to a 63-51 lead.

Moments later, Whiting drove, stopped and floated a shot over a defender to keep BYU’s 12-point lead intact. Calvert helped the Cougars finish the game with a game-high lead of 14 at 69-55 as she punctuated the contest with a 3-pointer.

BYU hits the road for its first away game of the season at Idaho State on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. MST. Watch the Cougars face the Bengals with live coverage on ESPN+ from Reed Gym in Pocatello, Idaho.