BYU Cougars || 12-1, 0-0 || Big 12 Conference
WHAT'S AT STAKE? || A win on Wednesday would mark BYU’s highest all-time win and second over a top-10 team, the other coming against No. 10 Iowa State on March 18, 2002, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With a win, BYU would move to 13-1, matching the third-best start ever and the best record through 14 games in program history. The Cougars started 13-1 in 2005-06 (19-1) and 2021-22 (18-1), with both teams reaching the NCAA Tournament.
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 807 games. The streak began on March 2, 2000, in an 86-69 win over Air Force.
DEFENSIVE-MINDED COUGARS || The Cougars have held 12 of 13 opponents under the 70-point threshold and are 12-0 in such games. BYU has kept eight of its foes under 60 points this season, and the Cougars are 23-2 over the past three seasons when surrendering less than 60 points. BYU’s only loss came at the hands of No. 17 Vanderbilt, which scored 84 points, 2.3 fewer than the Commodores’ season average.
BYU ranks 12th in the country, fourth in the Big 12, for opponent 3-point percentage, surrendering just 24.1 percent shooting and just 5.2 3-point makes per game. The Cougars also sit 15th nationally and fourth in the Big 12 in opponent field goal percentage, holding opponents to 33.9 percent from the field. Cummard’s squad also has eight players who average over a steal per game: Cannon (2.2), Gibb (2.0), Hamlin (2.0), Traore (2.0), Benally (1.8), Hudgins (1.3), Barber (1.3) and Rohkohl (1.2).
HANGING WITH THE BIG DOGS || Last season, the Cougars faced five ranked opponents and went 1-4, scoring just 56.2 points per game. The average margin of such games was -17.6 and BYU fell by 20+ points on three occasions. Against No. 17 Vanderbilt (L, 84-71), BYU scored its most points against a ranked foe since taking down No. 18 Baylor on Feb. 7, 2024, and the most in a game away from home since March 12, 2019, against No. 12 Gonzaga.
BYU holds a 1-13 all-time record against top-10 opponents, with the most recent game coming on March 2, 2024, as BYU fell on the road to No. 3 Texas, 71-46.
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.
AN OFFENSE THAT AGES LIKE FINE WINE || BYU has led in 10 of 13 games at the half; however, the Cougar offense has continued to improve as the game wears on. BYU averages 33.8 first-half points on 38.9 percent shooting. In the second half, those numbers jump to 41.2 points and 46.1 percent from the floor. The Cougars have outscored opponents in the second half in 10 of 13 games, including outscoring Portland 54-21 (+33), going 64.5 percent from the floor and forcing 15 second-half turnovers.
NAVAJO DIME DROPPER || Sydney Benally is one of the top guards in the country at getting 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 ranks second in the Big 12 among freshmen with 70 assists and sits third nationally at 5.4 assists per game. On the defensive end, Benally is second among conference freshmen with 23 steals and 1.77 per game. Benally averages 1.3 made threes per contest, which ranks fifth among Big 12 freshmen.
Head Coach – Lee Cummard
- Alma Mater: BYU, 2009
- Division I Career Record: 12-1 || 1st Season
