Gibb's 28 points not enough as BYU falls to No. 22 West Virginia

PROVO, Utah – Delaney Gibb's season-high 28 points were not enough as BYU women's basketball fell to No. 20 West Virginia, 91-77, in the Cougars' third straight game against a ranked opponent.

“We had a great start, handled what they were doing. We were getting stops and turning them into points on the other end," head coach Lee Cummard said. "They’re a really good team, well coached. They just stayed with it. They didn’t go away, which we knew they wouldn’t… 91 points on our home court is a lot, some of that defensive execution on our part, but just a tremendous job by them of staying with who they are, getting downhill and dominating the paint area…We can learn from it."

With similar side-by-side stats in most categories, the difference in the game came down to turnovers. BYU tallied 25 compared to just 14 from WVU, with the Mountaineers converting those extra opportunities into 29 points off turnovers, compared to 11 for the Cougars.

BYU shot 49 percent to West Virginia's 50.8 percent from the field, and the Cougars had the advantage from deep, hitting 11-of-24 from three-point range. However, the home team struggled in the paint, scoring just 20 points compared to 50 for West Virginia.

Delaney Gibb notched her fourth 20-point game of the season with a season-high 28-point effort, marking the second-highest scoring performance of her career. She also turned in two assists, two rebounds and a steal. 

First Quarter

West Virginia scored the first three points of the game before BYU responded with a 9-0 run capped by back-to-back three-pointers from Sydney Benally and Delaney Gibb.

After putting an end to the BYU streak with a turnaround jump shot, the Cougars kept the momentum in their favor with three straight baskets, courtesy of Gibb on two layups and Benally knocking down a jump shot off a Mountaineer turnover.

With BYU leading 15-7, Olivia Hamlin scored her first points of the game with a three-pointer to extend the lead to 11.

The Cougars held a 20-7 lead late in the quarter before the Mountaineers went on their most successful run of the opening frame, scoring nine-consecutive points in just over two minutes of play. BYU ended the quarter by hitting its first free throw to take a 21-16 lead.

Second Quarter

Like early in the first, the Cougars took advantage from beyond the arc, hitting two three-pointers in the opening minute from Marya Hudgins and Hamlin to extend the margin to 11 at 28-17.

Down nine, the Mountaineers began to climb back into the game with an 8-2 run before another three-pointer from Benally halted their momentum, making it 32-26 midway through the second.

WVU responded by again scoring nine-straight points, giving the visitors their first lead since the opening minute of the game, with the score now 35-32.

After Kambree Barber tied the game off the bench on a three-pointer, both teams traded baskets, with West Virginia eventually holding a 41-38 lead at the half.

Third Quarter

Coming out of the break, Gibb tied the game from beyond the arc with her second three-pointer of the game. The Mountaineers responded quickly with a three-pointer of their own, followed by capitalizing on back-to-back BYU turnovers, giving the Mountaineers an 8-0 run in less than 20 seconds for their largest lead of the night at 49-41.

After trading baskets, BYU went scoreless for over four minutes while West Virginia went on a 7-0 run before Brinley Cannon cut into the deficit, making it 56-47 in favor of the Mountaineers.

Late in the third, both teams traded points as the Cougars began to close the gap with a successful jump shot from Gibb, followed by a pair of made free throws from Cannon, getting BYU within seven heading into the final quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Ahead 62-55, the Mountaineers came out rolling with three straight layups, extending their lead to 13. With the score at 70-57, fouls on both sides began to take over the game, with both teams continually making each other pay from the line. There were only two field goals made in a five-minute stretch, both by the Mountaineers.

Down 80-65, the Cougars needed a spark late in the fourth and found it with a pair of three-point jumpers from Hamlin and Hudgins to cut the deficit to 80-71 with three minutes remaining.

The margin proved to be too much, as West Virginia took advantage of missed opportunities down the stretch to secure a 91-77 win.

Up Next

The Cougars will be back on the road to visit Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Jan. 28. The game will tip at 5:30 MST with streaming available on ESPN+. The game will also be broadcast live on BYU Radio 107.9, byuradio.org and the BYU Radio App.