Seven double-figure scorers push Cougars to a 104-47 victory over Mavericks

PROVO, Utah — BYU women’s basketball had seven players finish in double-figures on their way to defeating Omaha 104-47 on Thursday night at the Marriott Center. 

The Cougar defense stuffed the stat sheet, forcing 27 Maverick turnovers that led to 28 points off giveaways. BYU also recorded 18 steals and 10 blocks, both season highs.  

After the Cougars went up 40-17 at halftime, they proceeded to pour in 34 third-quarter points, the second-most in points in a quarter in program history. In the second half alone, BYU shot 63 percent from the field and 43 percent from three, including going 15-of-20 in the third. 

“I thought we had a tale of two halves,” said head coach Lee Cummard. “The first half didn’t really look like who we are offensively. The second half got a little bit more flow. It has been good to see the ball moving like it has been this year. I’m grateful for the second half.”

Delaney Gibb and Olivia Hamlin led the Cougars with 16 points apiece. Brinley Cannon posted an all-around stat line of 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, four steals and three blocks in the 57-point win.

Adding to the balanced BYU attack was freshman Bolanle Yussuf, who notched her first career double-double with a 13-point, 12-rebound effort on the night. 

The last of the double-figure scorers were Marya Hudgins with 12 points, and Sydney Bennally and Lara Rohkohl with 10 points each. 

First Quarter

The Cougars brought the pressure out of the gates, forcing the Mavericks to commit six turnovers in the first three minutes of regulation. Rohkohl got the scoring started on the offensive end by scoring the first two buckets, one off an assist from Hudgins and another off an offensive board. Cannon then proceeded to block an Omaha three-pointer and take it coast-to-coast to make it 8-0.

Cannon would once again make a defensive impact with a steal and an assist on a layup by Olivia Hamlin to make it 10-3 midway through the first.

As time expired, Gibb drove to the basket for a layup to close out the first with a 20-9 lead for the Cougars. BYU blocked three shots and forced nine turnovers in the quarter. The Cougars were also active on the glass with nine offensive rebounds.  

Second Quarter

Hattie Ogden opened up the quarter with a right-wing three followed by a Gibb-and-one floater in the lane. After a Cannon putback off a missed free throw, she went on to swing a pass to Sydney Bennally for a corner three to increase the lead to 18.

Midway through the second, Ogden blocked a Maverick layup, which led to a Hudgins layup in transition. Immediately after a made basket from Omaha, Bennally knocked down her second three of the game, which capped off a 15-5 run before an Omaha timeout.  

After a Maverick turnover, BYU ended the half with a Rohkohl layup, then a Cannon three from the corner, her first three of the game. The Cougars ended the half up 40-17 on Omaha.

Third Quarter

The first Cougar possession of the second half was a Bennally bucket underneath off a dish from Gibb. A Cannon putback and three from Hudgins increased the lead to 28 with 8:11 remaining. After a fastbreak layup by Gibb, Hudgins would once again sink a three, her second of the game, to make it 52-19.

By the halfway mark of the third, Hamlin, Hudgins, and Rohkohl made shots inside the paint, making the Cougar run 18-5 before a media timeout. This pushed the score to 58-22 with 4:29 to go in the third.

Cannon went on a personal 5-0 run with a layup off Hamlin’s third steal on the night, then a top-of-the-key three. A Gibb and-one in the lane, Hamlin layup on the break, and a Yussuf free throw helped push the lead to 75-32 for the Cougars through three quarters. 

BYU shot an efficient 75 percent on field goals while holding Omaha to just three made field goals in the quarter. The 35 third-quarter points by the Cougars mark the second-most points in a single quarter in program history. 

Fourth Quarter

The Cougars hit their first two field-goal attempts of the quarter with a Hamlin three and a Bennally pull-up jumper. BYU’s lead increased to 51 with a Gibb paint bucket and wing three to push her to a game-high 16 points at the time. 

BYU did not slow down as Hamlin went on to tie Gibb for a game-high 16 points on a top-of-the-key three, her second three of the night. The Cougars would go on to end the game in triple digits on back-to-back threes by Ogden and Braedon Gunlock, her first points of her college career, and finish with a 104-47 win.

Up Next

The Cougars will be back in the Marriott Center on Saturday afternoon to host the Fresno State Bulldogs at 2 p.m. MT.  The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Fans can also tune in to Jason Shepherd on BYU Radio 107.9 FM, byuradio.org and the BYU Radio App.