BYU Cougars || 15-5, 4-4 || Big 12 Conference
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
With a win, BYU would match its most wins in a season since going 26-4 and reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2021-22. A win would also move Coach Cummard into a tie with Amber Whiting for the third-most wins by a first-year head coach in Cougar history (16).
SCORING COMES AT A PREMIUM
Cummard’s squad prides itself on its ability to defend. BYU has held 16 of 20 opponents under the 70-point threshold and is 15-1 in such games, with their only loss to No. 18 Baylor. BYU has kept nine of its foes under 60 points this season, and the Cougars are 23-2 over the past three seasons when doing so. In losses to No. 8 TCU, No. 17 Vanderbilt and No. 18 Baylor, BYU held each ranked opponent under their season scoring average: Vanderbilt 3.1 points under and TCU 15.5 points shy of their 87.5 points per game. The only ranked team to outscore their average against the Cougs was No. 22 West Virginia, which put up 91 points on Saturday, the most BYU has surrendered this season.
YOUNG GUNS, BIG BUCKETS
BYU’s freshmen have made huge contributions to the Cougars’ offensive success. Olivia Hamlin, Sydney Benally, Bolanle Yussuf and Braeden Gunlock have combined for 40.1 percent of all points scored by BYU this season. With sophomores Delaney Gibb, Brinley Cannon and Kambree Barber added to the mix, the underclassmen account for 67.8 percent of all BYU points. In Big 12 play, they have combined for 52.5 of BYU’s 68.6 points per game (76.5 percent). In the win over No. 22 Texas Tech, Hamlin led BYU with 20 points, Benally hit three triples for nine points and Yussuf contributed six to the cause.
"IT'S ABOUT HOW HARD YOU CAN GET HIT, AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD"
BYU is 4-0 this season in games immediately following a loss. The Cougars average 69.8 points with three players averaging 14.0 or more points and six. (Gibb, 18.3; Hamlin, 14.8; Mackey-Williams 14.0) The Cougars have surrendered just 60.3 points to opponents on 36.1 percent from the field and 25.3 percent from deep. BYU has also swiped 10.0 steals per game and forced opponents into 18.5 turnovers per game that turn into 20.3 points off opponent giveaways. The Cougars have also grabbed 16.5 offensive boards per game, which they have converted into 14.0 second-chance points.
BYU'S BACKCOURT ANCHOR
After missing eight non-conference games due to injury, Gibb is beginning to find her groove. The sophomore is averaging 18.8 points on 42.7 percent shooting and 37.0 percent from 3-point land, while knocking down 2.5 triples per game. The reigning unanimous Big 12 Freshman of the Year is also averaging 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest since her return.
Gibb has led BYU to a 6-2 record in games where she leads the Cougars in scoring, a 4-0 record when she leads the team in steals and a 5-2 record when she records five or more assists. The sophomore standout has recorded four or more assists in 5-of-7 Big 12 games this season. Gibb ranks in the 99th percentile nationally as she assists on 35.7 percent of all Cougar makes while she is on the floor. She also ranks in the 98th percentile with 5.1 assists per game.
Gibb was named to the Big 12 Starting Five on Monday after averaging 23.0 points per game while shooting 53.8 percent from the field last week. She went 6-of-9 from 3-point range and averaged 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 0.5 blocks in two games against AP Top 25 opponents. Gibb scored 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, in BYU’s upset of then-No. 19 Texas Tech, which entered the game with a 19-1 record. Gibb added six assists, four steals, five rebounds and one block in the victory, which marked BYU’s first ranked win of the season and the first of head coach Lee Cummard’s career.
The Raymond, Alberta, Canada, native followed that effort with a season-high 28 points against No. 22 West Virginia. Gibb shot 9-of-16 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range, adding two assists, two rebounds and a steal in BYU’s upset bid against the Mountaineers.
THERE'S A MONSTER IN THE CLOSET
The Cougars’ Achilles heel this season has been the turnover monster. BYU averages 18.5 turnovers per game and has recorded 20 or more in a game on seven occasions with a 5-2 record in such games. In losses this season, BYU has recorded 20.6 turnovers and 20.2 points surrendered to opponents.
SECOND-CHANCE SPECIALISTS
BYU leads the Big 12 in offensive rebounds per game and has three players who rank in the 93rd percentile or higher in offensive rebound percentage nationally. Since returning from injury, Kambree Barber has been a force on the offensive glass as she ranks in the 98th percentile for offensive rebounding percentage at 11.4 percent of all available offensive rebounds while she is on the floor. Barber grabs 2.4 per game.
Lara Rohkohl ranks in the 96th percentile at 15.9 percent ORB% while recording 3.1 offensive boards per contest. Bolanle Yussuf sits in the 93rd percentile with a 14.8 ORB% and 2.0 offensive rebounds per game. Yussuf is also three ORB away from cracking the top-15 for offensive rebounds by a freshman and four away from passing her coach, Keilani Unga, for 15th on the all-time list.
Barber and Rohkohl are two of 11 players in the Big 12 to average over 2.4 offensive rebounds per game.
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 814 games. The streak began on March 2, 2000, in an 86-69 win over Air Force. The only team with more is Chattanooga, with 826 consecutive games with a made three-pointer.
Head Coach – Lee Cummard
- Alma Mater: BYU, 2009
- Division I Career Record: 15-5 || 1st Season
