Hamlin's buzzer-beater lifts BYU over Washington State

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Olivia Hamlin knocked down a jumper at the buzzer to lift BYU over the Washington State Cougars, 56-54, on Wednesday afternoon at Delta Center.

"Not a pretty game to be a part of or to watch, but at the end of the day, our group found a way to make it happen," head coach Lee Cummard said. "Arielle (Mackey-Williams) carried us in the first half and kept us afloat. I thought they competed really hard overall, and at the end, we did enough to have a chance to put the ball in a really good player's hand and have her make a play.” 

Hamlin posted her seventh game with 10 or more points this season with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including the game-winner. The freshman also added two rebounds. Junior Arielle Mackay-Williams contributed 14 points on 5-of-9 from the field, including two of BYU's three triples.

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Marya Hudgins turned in a nine-point, nine-rebound performance to go along with a block in the win. This marks her sixth game this season with five or more rebounds and her fourth game with a block. The Big 12 Freshman of the Week, Sydney Benally, contributed eight points, three rebounds and 2 steals with two rebounds coming on the offensive glass.

BYU shot 34 percent from the floor, and just 21 percent from three-point range, making a season-low three triples. The BYU bench scored 20 points to help lift the Cougars from Provo over those from Pullman, Washington, despite an even 30-30 split on points in the paint. 

First Quarter

Both teams started off slow, each missing their first two field goals. Marya Hudgins then scored 4 straight off back-to-back layups, giving BYU the lead at 4-2. Lara Rhokohl added a pair of free throws before Hudgins made a hookshot in the paint to push the score to 8-6.

Washington State then went on a 4-0 run to tie the score at 8 apiece. Bonlanle Yussuf then dropped in back-to-back putback layups, helping BYU retake a 12-8 lead.

The Cougar teams traded sets of free throws to finish the quarter with BYU up 14-10.

Second Quarter

BYU started out strong with Mackay-Williams scoring 5 straight points on a layup and then a top-of-the-key triple. Hamlin then added a point from the charity stripe to round out a 6-2  BYU run, putting the blue Cougars up 20-12. Mackay-Williams added a layup before Washington State scored a bucket of their own, putting the score at 22-14.

Turnovers and missed shots down the stretch ensued over the next couple of minutes before Washington State ended the scoring drought on a three-pointer. BYU struck back on a pull-up jumper from Mackay-Williams, ending a more than five-minute BYU scoring drought with BYU leading 24-19.

Washington State then went on a 3-0 run to end the half with the Cougars from Provo leading at the break 24-22.

Third Quarter

Washington State came out of the locker room hot, scoring 7 straight to take the lead 29-24 with BYU taking a timeout. BYU ended the scoring run by adding its own 8-0 run over 41 seconds behind back-to-back threes from Hamlin and Mackay-Williams and two forced turnovers, giving BYU a 32-28.

Washington State fired back with a 7-2 run to take the lead 35-34 with 3:17 seconds left in the third quarter. The Cougar teams then traded points and the lead down the stretch until Washington State ended the quarter with a missed step-back jumpshot. BYU trailed 39-36 entering the fourth quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Washington State started the final ten minutes with a 5-0 run before BYU scored off a driving layup from Hamlin to cut the Washington State lead to six at 44-38. Brinley Cannon made an and-one layup, sparking a 7-0 BYU run that pushed the score to 46-45. The Cougar teams then traded misses before BYU opened a 4-2 run to take back the lead with 4:09 left in the game, up 49-48. 

BYU and Washington State traded sets of free throws down the stretch, knotting the game at 50 before Sydney Benally made a driving layup with 1:36 on the clock to break the tie, putting BYU up 54-52.

Washington State then tied the game at 54 apiece on a layup with just 2.8 seconds left. BYU took a timeout to advance the ball to the frontcourt, where Hattie Ogden pitched to Hamlin, who took a dribble and connected on a midrange jumper at the buzzer to give BYU the win, 56-54.

Up Next

BYU will hit the road for a matchup with the Portland Pilots at the Chiles Center on Saturday, Dec. 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. MT with the game streamed on ESPN+. Fans can also tune in for live play-by-play with Jason Shepherd on BYU Radio 107.9, byuradio.org and the BYU Radio App.