PROVO, Utah – With 11 points, six rebounds and two blocks against the Wildcats, Heather Hamson recorded the first double-figure scoring game of her career and set a career-high in rebounds in BYU's 92-65 loss to No. 12 K-State.
Hamson tied two career highs in minutes and blocks with 20 and two, respectively. Hamson was one of three Cougars to reach double digits tonight, along with Delaney Gibb and Emma Calvert.
“That was a rough one, I’ll just be honest,” said head coach Amber Whiting. “In the first and fourth quarters, I felt like we fought and looked more like ourselves, but they [Kansas State] are a very balanced team. They do what they do, and they do it well across the board. They’re great shooters. If you shut down one thing, something else pops up. Hats off to them. They did a really good job tonight.”
While BYU couldn't secure a win against Kansas State, the team held the Wildcats below their average field-goal percentage in the first quarter and outscored them in the fourth.
The Wildcats had three players end the game with double digits points: Temira Poindexter, Serena Sundell and Ayoka Lee. Poindexter recorded a new season high in points with 24 total.
First Quarter
The Cougars gained an early 6-2 lead in the first quarter after two layups by Gibb and a two-point jumper from Lauren Davenport. The Wildcats quickly bounced back with an 11-0 run, putting them up 13-6 and forcing BYU’s first timeout.
Following the timeout, BYU outscored Kansas State 14-4 with four-straight 3-pointers from four different Cougars, leading to a timeout from the Wildcats. Kansas State scored three-consecutive layups to end the first quarter 23-20.
BYU ended the quarter with a 57.1 3-point FG percentage compared to Kansas State’s 14.3, 12 rebounds and five assists.
Second Quarter
Hamson gave the Cougars their first six points of the second quarter off two layups and two free throws. The Wildcats extended their lead to 33-26 before the media timeout. Hamson, Kambree Barber and Gibb added points to the board, but that didn’t stop Kansas State from outscoring BYU 17-6 following the timeout. The Wildcats ended the half up 50-32.
The Cougars recorded a 22.2 FG percentage in the second quarter, along with 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Kansas State boasted a 50.0 FG percentage, 14 rebounds and eight assists.
Third Quarter
BYU and K-State traded shots to start the third quarter, but the Wildcats held a 20-point lead at the media timeout. With four 3-pointers and three layups following the timeout, K-State ended the third quarter with a 10-0 run, recording their largest lead of the game at 73-40.
BYU shot only 33.3 percent from the floor in the third quarter and had six rebounds and one block.
Fourth Quarter
The Cougars started the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run from Cannon and Gibb, holding the Wildcats to one layup before K-State called a timeout. Whiting and Calvert made a layup each before the Wildcats called their second timeout of the quarter at 80-52.
Calvert scored the Cougars’ next six points, followed by another seven from Barber, Naia Tanuvasa and Hamson. BYU outscored Kansas State 25-19 in the fourth, but the Wildcats sealed their victory, 92-65.
In the fourth, the Cougars recorded a game-high field-goal percentage of 71.4 percent, as well as seven rebounds, five assists and one steal.
Up Next
The Cougars will face Texas Tech on Saturday, Jan. 18 in Lubbock, Texas. Watch on ESPN+ or listen to live play-by-play with Jason Shepherd via BYU Radio.