Cougars suffer first setback in 84-71 loss to No. 17 Vanderbilt

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands — BYU suffered its first setback of the 2025-26 season as the Cougars fell to No. 17 Vanderbilt, 84-71, in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Island Division Championship on Saturday afternoon.

“We got everything out of this experience that we wanted,” head coach Lee Cummard said. “We came here so our players could bond and make memories with their teammates and with our staff. We came to play high-level basketball against really good teams. We came up short today, but overall, the reasons why we came here, we got everything out of it that we wanted. And we are going to learn and get better because of our experiences here.”

BYU was led by a career-high 24 points from junior Marya Hudgins, who went 10-for-14 from the floor and 4-for-5 from behind the arc. The Aurora, Colorado native recorded her fourth-career double-double with 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Fellow junior Ari Mackey-Williams and freshman Sydney Benally joined Hudgins in double figures with 11 points apiece. Mackey-Williams was 4-of-5 from the floor and connected on all three attempts from downtown. Benally also knocked down three triples to go along with three assists and a rebound.

BYU turned the ball over 19 times, with Vanderbilt scoring 30 points off giveaways while the Cougars forced just five Commodore turnovers. BYU outrebounded Vanderbilt 39-37 but gave up 16 offensive boards to 14 pulled down by the Cougs. Led by Hudgins' 71.4-percent clip from the floor, BYU outshot Vanderbilt 44.6 to 41.1 percent and 42.9 percent to 32.4 percent from behind the arc.

First Quarter
Hudgins hit two triples in the first two minutes to give BYU a 6-2 lead just 1:46 into the contest. After a layup by Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, the Cougars rattled off a 13-5 run to push the lead to double figures at 22-12 with two triples from Sydney Benally, a three from Brinley Cannon and five points from Hudgins.

Out of the media timeout, Hamlin found Arielle Mackey-Williams for a transition triple before Benally skipped it to Hamlin, who hit her first three of the game. Her three pushed the lead to 14 at 28-14, the 10^th-most points ever scored in a quarter by a BYU team.

Second Quarter
Four straight BYU points by Benally and Cannon extended the lead to a game-high 16 with 7:49 to go in the half. The Commodores countered with a 10-0 run of their own, eight of which came from Blakes. The Vandy run cut the Cougar lead to six, leading to a timeout from Coach Cummard.

Out of the timeout, Vanderbilt scored seven consecutive points to take a two-point advantage with 3:04 left in the second quarter. A steal by Cannon was kicked ahead to Hamlin, who scored off the glass to end the 20-2 run. After a Vandy bucket, Benally hit her third triple of the game to retake a one-point lead for the Cougars, but a floater in the lane gave the Commodores a one-point advantage at the break.

The 40-39 deficit marks the second straight game that BYU has trailed at the break.  

Third Quarter
BYU and Vanderbilt traded baskets in the opening minutes of the third with a pair of jumpers for Hudgins, to keep the Cougars within three with 6:56 remaining in the period. A quick 11-4 run by Vandy pushed the lead to 13 with 4:39 to play in the quarter.

Out of the media timeout, Hudgins hit a step back triple to cut the lead to 10. Following a Rohkohl free throw, a floater by Hudgins trimmed the deficit to seven with 1:22 left. Vanderbilt hit a jumper to retake a nine-point lead heading to the fourth.

Fourth Quarter
Down 12 with 9:20 to go, BYU scored seven consecutive points with a second chance layup from Hamlin, a three and a score off the glass from Mackey-Williams. A 10-0 run from Vanderbilt rebuilt a 15-point advantage at 77-62.

Rohkohl and Hudgins each hit shots to pull the Cougars within 11, but the Commodores answered with scores to hand BYU its first defeat of the season, 84-71.

Up Next
After returning to the mainland, the Cougars next take the floor on Dec. 3 for a neutral-site matchup against the Washington State Cougars. Tip-off for Wednesday's matinee is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT with the game broadcast on ESPN+. Fans can also tune in for live play-by-play on BYU Radio 107.9, byuradio.org and the BYU Radio App.