BYU Cougars || 11-1, 0-0 || Big 12 Conference
WHAT'S AT STAKE? || With a win, the Cougars would snap a three-game skid in conference openers dating back to 2022 and earn their first win in a Big 12 Conference opener. With a win, BYU would move to 12-1, matching the third-best start by a BYU team and the best record through 13 games in program history. The Cougars started 12-1 in 2005-06 (19-1), 2013-14 (12-1) and 2021-22 (18-1), with all three teams reaching the NCAA Tournament, and the 2013-14 squad advancing to the Sweet 16.
LUCKY NUMBER 7 || Olivia Hamlin was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week on Monday, marking the second weekly award for BYU in the last three weeks (Sydney Benally, Dec. 1). Hamlin led all Big 12 freshmen in points (42), made field goals (16), 3-point field goals (4), free throws made (6), steals (6) and minutes played (65). Hamlin was an anchor for BYU this week as the freshman led her team with 21 points per game on 50 percent shooting, 3.0 steals and 2.0 assists per game in wins over Idaho State and UTEP.
Hamlin kept BYU within striking distance against Idaho State with 11 points, two assists and four steals, all in the first half. The freshman finished with a game-high 22 points on 47.4 percent shooting, five steals, three assists and a rebound in the nine-point win over the Bengals. In Saturday’s matinee against the UTEP Miners, Hamlin picked up right where she left off, recording her second-consecutive 20-point game as she went 7-for-13 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from downtown, a new career best.
PERPETUAL PERIMETER PRECISION || BYU currently holds the second-longest active and the third-longest all-time streak of games with a made 3-point field goal in NCAA women’s basketball. The Cougars have connected on at least one triple in each of the previous 806 games. The streak began on March 2, 2000, against Air Force.
BALLIN' BACKCOURT DUO || Sydney Benally and Olivia Hamlin are the only DI true freshmen duo to each have at least 100 points and 20 steals this season.
THE WHOLE IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS || With leading scorer, Delaney Gibb, out since Nov. 15, her teammates, including true freshmen Sydney Benally, Olivia Hamlin, Bolanle Yussuf and Braeden Gunlock, have found ways to step up in her absence. Before Gibb was sidelined, BYU had three players, aside from Gibb, who averaged 7.8 points or more per game. In her absence, BYU now has five players averaging over 7.8 points: Hudgins (13.1), Hamlin (12.8), Benally (9.1), Rohkohl (8.6), and Cannon (7.9). Over the last eight games, the Cougars’ top-5 scorers, excluding Gibb, have increased their total points per game from 50.2 to 51.5, with Hudgins nearly doubling her output from 7.5 to 13.1 ppg. BYU is 7-1 in Gibb’s absence, with the only loss coming to No. 17 Vanderbilt on a neutral floor.
NAVAJO DIME DROPPER || Sydney Benally is one of the top guards in the country at setting up her teammates in positions to score as she assists on 32.8 percent of all made baskets when she is on the floor, which ranks in the 98th percentile nationally. Benally leads the Big 12 and ranks second in the country, among freshmen, with 67 assists and 5.6 assists per game. On the defensive end, Benally leads conference freshmen with 23 steals, good for sixth in the Big 12. Benally averages 1.2 made threes per contest, which ranks fourth among Big 12 freshmen.
“SAME BLADE. NEW EDGE.” || Kambree Barber made her season debut against the Portland Pilots last Saturday and has been a steady force for the Cougars on the boards and the defensive end of the floor since her return. The sophomore recorded a career-high four blocks in the win over Idaho State on Saturday to go along with five points, a steal and a team-high seven rebounds. Against UTEP, Barber scored a season-high 13 points on 6-of-12 from the floor, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.
Head Coach – Lee Cummard
- Alma Mater: BYU, 2009
- Division I Career Record: 11-1 || 1st Season
