BYU Cougars || 13-2, 0-0 || Big 12 Conference
WHAT'S AT STAKE? || With a 65-57 defeat on Feb. 19, 2025, in Tucson, BYU trails 4-3 in games played at the McKale Center. With a win, the Cougars would eclipse their 2024-25 win total and move to 3-1 in conference play. Last season, it took BYU 11 games to win its third Big 12 contest.
OWNING THE GLASS || BYU is crashing the glass, averaging 44.1 rebounds per game, which ranks 19th in the country and second in the Big 12. The Cougars have five players averaging 5.3 rebounds or more per game, with four recording 6.1 or more. Kambree Barber leads the way with seven. The others: Lara Rohkohl (6.7), Bola Yussuf (6.2), Brinley Cannon (6.1), and Marya Hudgins (5.3). BYU is 11-1 when outrebounding opponents this season. BYU also leads the Big 12 in offensive boards per game with 15.3, good for 34th nationally.
The Cougars dominated the glass in their win over Arizona State, out-rebounding the Sun Devils 54-25. BYU also grabbed 26 offensive boards, the fifth-most offensive rebounds in a game in program history. The Cougars scored 20 second-chance points in the win.
BUILT ON BALL PRESSURE AND BUY-IN || The Cougars have held 13 of 15 opponents under the 70-point threshold and are 13-0 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 two losses came to No. 17 Vanderbilt and No. 8 TCU, which were each held below their season average points per game. BYU held Vanderbilt 3.1 points under their average and TCU 15.5 points under their 87.5 points per game.
BYU ranks 16th in the country, third in the Big 12, for opponent 3-point percentage, surrendering just 24.8 percent shooting and just 5.3 3-point makes per game. The Cougars also sit 18th nationally and fourth in the Big 12 in opponent field goal percentage, holding opponents to 34.7 percent from the field. Cummard’s squad also has eight players who average over a steal per game: Hamlin (2.2), Cannon (2.1), Traore (2.0), Benally (1.9), Gibb (1.6), Hudgins (1.3), Rohkohl (1.2) and Barber (1.0).
BATTLE OF FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACHES || Saturday’s game between head coach Lee Cummard and Arizona’s Becky Burke marks Cummard’s second matchup against a fellow Big 12 first-year head coach. Arizona State’s Molly Miller at Arizona State and Houston’s Matthew Mitchell are also in their first season at their respective schools. Cummard in 1-0 in such games.
BACK LIKE SHE NEVER LEFT || Delaney Gibb picked up right where she left off since returning from injury. She continues to lead the Cougars with 15.6 points per game, 5.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds. The reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year ranks in the 99th percentile as she assists on 36.0 percent of all Cougar makes while she is on the floor this season. She also ranks in the 98th percentile with 4.9 assists per game. The Cougars' NET ranking jumps from the 75th to the 91st percentile with Gibb on the floor. BYU’s offensive rating increases from the 38th percentile to the 68th percentile and defensive rating jumps from the 91st to 98th percentile when Gibb is on the floor.
BLOCK. STEAL. REPEAT. || BYU is averaging 11.40 steals and 4.67 blocks per game this season. The last Big 12 team to finish a campaign with such marks was Baylor in 2002-03 (12.43, 5.83).
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 29.5 percent of all made baskets when she is on the floor, which ranks in the 95th percentile nationally. Benally is second among Big 12 freshmen and fifth nationally with 4.9 assists per game. On the defensive end, Benally is second among conference freshmen with 28 steals and 1.87 per game. Benally averages 1.7 made threes per contest, which ranks fourth among Big 12 freshmen.
AN OFFENSE THAT AGES LIKE FINE WINE || BYU has led in 10 of 15 games at the half; however, the Cougar offense has continued to improve as the game wears on. BYU averages 33 first-half points on 38.2 percent shooting. In the second half, those numbers jump to 39.9 points and 44.7 percent shooting. The Cougars have outscored opponents in the second half in 11 of 15 games, including outscoring Arizona State 43-28 (+15), including holding outscoring the Sun Devils 17-8 in the third quarter alone.
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 809 games. The streak began on March 2, 2000, in an 86-69 win over Air Force.
Head Coach – Lee Cummard
- Alma Mater: BYU, 2009
- Division I Career Record: 12-2 || 1st Season
