Cougars upset No. 20 Oklahoma State 68-64

PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s basketball showed its depth and tenacity in the 68-64 upset win over No. 20 Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon. 

With 27 seconds left and BYU up by two, Amari Whiting missed the second of two free throws, but freshman Kambree Barber flew in to secure the offensive board and put back to put the Cougars ahead by four with less than 30 seconds remaining. Oklahoma State would not go quietly as the Cowgirls hit just their fourth three of the night on the ensuing possession to pull within one.

Despite the late push by OSU, Delaney Gibb and Emma Calvert went a combined 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the final 12 seconds to earn BYU its first ranked win of the season and second under head coach Amber Whiting. 

“This is a big-time win for my women and for the program," said head coach Amber Whiting. "They have legitimately been going through some hard things lately both on and off the court. I’m so proud they stayed with it and had the fight. We still had the problem of turnovers which we have to continue to clean up but their effort, their energy, and their fight is there every single day. I’m so proud of them.”

The Cougars secured the win by besting the Cowgirls 21-13 in the final period to earn their first win of the season when trailing heading into the final quarter. BYU forced seven Oklahoma State fourth-quarter turnovers, earning six points off of the Cowgirl giveaways. 

Calvert led the Cougars with 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting. The senior also converted on two clutch-time free throws to seal the upset win for the Cougars. 

Seven-time Big 12 Freshman of the Week, Gibb contributed 14 points on 3-of-8 from the floor, knocking down her only offering from three and going 7-for-9 from the free throw line.

First Quarter

The Cowgirls jumped out to an early lead after winning the tip. Oklahoma State opened with a 9-0 run to begin the contest. BYU failed to connect on three-point attempts during the run, quickly transitioning the ball back to the Cowgirls. 

Calvert brought the Cougars back into contention with seven-consecutive points, headlined by a three-pointer at the top of the arc. Kendra Gillispie came off the bench to secure a layup that pulled BYU within a basket. Gibb and Whiting added to the BYU point total, but Oklahoma State held a 19-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

The Cougars shot 45.5 percent from the field but turned it over eight times in the opening frame, leading to the six-point deficit.

Second Quarter

BYU flipped the switch at the start of the second quarter with an 8-2 run. Gillespie and Gibb got the ball, each scoring from the charity strip. Despite a two-point bucket from the Cowgirls, the momentum stayed in the Cougars' favor with Barber landing a three and Whiting notching a layup to tie the contest 21-21. 

The Cowgirls held a small lead for a majority of the remaining minutes, but BYU held close with efforts from Brinley Cannon and Calvert that kept it a six-point game. The final minute of the half saw a 6-0 run from BYU, finalized with a bucket at the buzzer from Whiting, assisted by Gibb that tied the game 31-31 headed into the locker room. 

BYU shot 58.8 percent from the field in the second quarter, with 12 points in the pain and five assists. 

Third Quarter

Both sides traded blows entering the second half. BYU maintained a small lead over the Cowgirls for the first few possessions with Kemery Congdon and Calvert each securing baskets. A three-pointer from Lauren Davenport added to the mix before the Cowgirls took a 43-40 lead after a 5-0 run. 

The game continued in tight fashion with BYU knotting the score 46-46 with two free throws from Cannon. The Cowgirls gained the lead with a three-point bucket at the buzzer to close the third quarter 51-47. 

The Cougars shot 57.1 percent from the charity stripe, registering 10 rebounds and four assists. 

Fourth Quarter

BYU stayed within striking distance in the opening minutes of the final period. Gibb drove down in the paint, securing a two-point bucket while drawing a foul. The freshman completed the three-point play to pull BYU within a single score of the Cowgirls, 53-55. 

Gibb, Whiting and Calvert each recorded baskets to retake the lead 60-58 with 3:42 left in the game. Two made free throws from Oklahoma State tied the game 60-60. 

After a Whiting miss from the line, the Marriott Center erupted as Barber secured the offensive rebound and scored a second-chance bucket to give BYU a four-point lead with under 30 seconds left.

The Cougars’ free throw shooting secured the game with Gibb and Calvert going a combined 4-for-4 from the line in the final seconds to secure the 68-64 upset of No. 20 Oklahoma State. 

Up Next

The Cougars will next travel to Tucson to take on the Arizona Wildcats on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at the McKale Center. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. MT with the broadcast available on ESPN+ and BYUradio.