BYU falls to Northern Colorado in overtime

PROVO, Utah — Emma Calvert's first double-double of the season wasn't enough as BYU fell to Northern Colorado, 67-60 in overtime for the Cougars' first loss of the season on Saturday at the Marriott Center.

"We let our offense affect our defense," said head coach Amber Whiting. "We didn't shoot well tonight and didn't come together when times got tough. When the shots weren't falling, we still need to play defense and unfortunately, we didn't do enough of that tonight."

Calvert shot 6-of-12 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free throw line on her way to 18 points and 10 rebounds the overtime defeat. 

Amari Whiting joined Calvert in double figures as she scored 14 points, going 7-of-10 from the charity stripe and 3-of-12 from the field. Whiting also chipped in six assists and four rebounds. 

Freshman Delaney Gibb tied Whiting for a game-high six assists and Marya Hudgins recorded eight rebounds on the night. 

BYU had its worst shooting performance of the young season as they went 35.5 percent from the floor and 12.5 percent from three.

The Cougars kept themselves in the game by outrebounding Northern Colorado 40-36 and turning over the Bears 19 times. However, BYU also coughed it up 18 times leading to 14 UNC points. The Cougars also committed 26 fouls leading to 20 Northern Colorado points from the foul line.

First Quarter

The Cougars scored the first four points of the game on a Kemery Congdon floater and a Whiting dish in the lane to an open Calvert for two. Northern Colorado scored two of its own before a Whiting 3-pointer and another Congdon bucket put BYU up 9-2 midway through the first frame. 

Heather Hamson and Calvert each finished in the paint to extend BYU's lead to nine and force the Bears to take their first timeout down 13-4 with 2:51 left. 

Brinley Cannon scored on the break for an easy two before the Bears made their first shot from deep. Northern Colorado scored two more right before the horn sounded and the first quarter expired. BYU led 17-9. 

Whiting led BYU with five points and four assists in the first period.

Second Quarter

The Bears and Cougars traded buckets for the first four minutes of the second half before Northern Colorado connected from range and forced BYU to use a timeout. The Cougars led 25-21 with 5:04 left in the first half. 

Out of the timeout, the Bears scored the next four points to tie the game at 25 apiece. Lauren Davenport ended Northern Colorado's 7-0 scoring run with a 3-point shot to regain BYU's lead.

The visitors claimed their first lead of the game at 32-30 on a 3-point shot. With 20 seconds remaining, Northern Colorado connected on two free throws to take a four-point lead to the locker room. 

BYU turned the ball over seven times in the second quarter. 

Third Quarter

Congdon ended the Bears' scoring streak and recorded the first points of the half on a midrange floater. Northern Colorado drove an open lane for two before Gibb nailed a shot from behind the arc in transition. Calvert and Gibb each scored in the paint and BYU earned its lead back ahead 39-38 with 4:46 left in the quarter. 

Within one minute of checking in for the first time at BYU, Kendra Gillispie pulled down an offensive rebound and finished for two. Whiting scored the next five points for the Cougars and BYU led by five with just under two minutes left in the quarter.

Calvert knocked in a free throw, BYU's defense earned three stops and the Cougars led 47-41 at the end of the third period. 

Whiting and Gibb scored five apiece in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Northern Colorado scored the first four points of the quarter to pull within two. The teams traded baskets, but with 5:45 left in the game, Cannon intercepted a pass at midcourt and took it to the basket to extend BYU's lead to five. The Cougars led 52-47 at the quarter's media timeout.

With 3:12 remaining, Northern Colorado converted a three-point play to bring themselves within two points once again. On the next play, Calvert scored in the paint, was fouled and made her free throw to push BYU's lead back to five.

The Bears scored three points to pull within two with 1:47 remaining. A BYU turnover and missed floater gave the Bears the ball with 31 seconds left. Northern Colorado made a corner shot from beyond the arc and took a one-point lead with 23.6 seconds left to play. The Cougars called timeout. 

The Cougars missed the mark on a jumper and fouled the Bears. Northern Colorado missed both free throws and BYU called timeout trailing by one point with 9.5 seconds left. 

Whiting drove the lane, was fouled and made 1-of-2 free throws. The Bears missed on a last-second heave at the basket and the teams headed to overtime knotted at 56 points. 

Overtime

Calvert made two free throws ahead of a Northern Colorado 3-pointer at the top of the key. The Bears led by one with just under three minutes remaining. 

UNC made 6-of-10 free throws in the final three minutes as BYU went 0-5 from the field with two turnovers. Northern Colorado won 67-60. 

Up Next

BYU will face the Rice Owls on Nov. 28 in the first of two games at the Cancún Challenge. Watch the Cougars and Owls at 7 p.m. MT on FloCollege or listen on BYU Radio.