BYU Cougars
Overall: 4-0 ⋅ Big 12: 0-0 ⋅ Last 5: 4-0
THE OPENING TIP
After defeating Bethune-Cookman in the programs’ first meeting, the Cougars host the New Mexico Lobos for the first time since 2011 in the 69th matchup in series history.
BYU holds a 40-28 advantage in the all-time series, winning the last two meetings. The teams last met on March 1, 2011, when the Cougars secured a 65-49 victory, while their last game in Provo resulted in a 76-64 win for the home team on Jan. 29, 2011.
Last time out, BYU forced 25 turnovers and scored 26 points off giveaways against Bethune-Cookman. Roommates Delaney Gibb and Olivia Hamlin led the Cougars with 14 points apiece. Gibb added eight assists, five steals and a block—all team highs—while Mariam Traore recorded a career-high 11 rebounds, seven points on 3-of-4 shooting and a block.
PEDAL TO THE METAL
Led by Olivia Hamlin—one of the nation’s top players at pushing the pace—BYU is averaging 18.3 transition points through the first four games. Hamlin averages 15.0 points per game, with nearly half (46.7 percent) coming from fast-break buckets, ranking in the 95th and 99th percentiles nationally.
IMMACULATE INSIDE THE ARC
Despite early struggles from 3-point range, the Cougars excel in the paint, scoring 38.5 points per game in the key. Eight qualifying players are shooting over 50 percent from 2-point range, led by Prasayus Notoa at 77.8 percent. The rest of the group features Benally (75.0 percent), Traore (72.7 percent), Sakalas (66.7 percent), Hamlin (60.0 percent), Cannon (55.6 percent), Taylor (55.6 percent) and Bolanle Yussuf (55.6 percent).
BYU also excels on the offensive glass, ranking in the 94th percentile with a 44.2 percent offensive rebounding rate.
DISRUPTING AND DICTATING
Head coach Lee Cummard wants his team to be a defensive juggernaut by disrupting and dictating opposing offenses. BYU has forced at least 15 turnovers in each of its first four games, including 19 or more three times. The Cougars average 22.3 points per game off opponent giveaways, highlighted by a season-high 28 in the opener against Idaho State.
Seven Cougars average at least one steal per game, led by Brinley Cannon at 2.5. She is followed by Gibb (2.0), Hamlin (1.5), Sydney Benally (1.5), Kambree Taylor (1.3), Mariam Traore (1.0) and Stella Sakalas (1.0).
SECOND-HALF SURGE
The second half continues to be pivotal as BYU has outscored opponents by 18.5 points after intermission across its first four games. The third period has been especially dominant, with the Cougars outscoring opponents by 12.5 points in the quarter alone. BYU holds a 98-48 aggregate edge in third-quarter scoring this season.
NAVAJO DIME DROPPER
New Mexico native Sydney Benally will face her hometown and childhood "dream school" on Saturday. Despite coming off the bench in the first four games this season, Sydney Benally is averaging 19.3 minutes and 8.3 points per game while increasing her field goal percentage from 30.3 to 48.0 percent and her 3-point percentage from 25.2 to 35.3 percent.
Benally set a BYU freshman record with 148 assists, surpassing two-time WCC Player of the Year Shaylee Gonzales (134). Benally assisted on 24.9 percent of BYU’s made baskets while on the floor, ranking in the 91st percentile nationally.
She finished second in the Big 12 and sixth nationally among freshmen in total assists, while her 3.9 assists per game ranked second in the conference and 10th nationally. BYU went 22-6 when Benally recorded at least three assists and 14-1 when she dished out at least five.
PERPETUAL PERIMETER PRECISION
BYU holds the second-longest active and third-longest all-time NCAA Division I streaks of games with a made 3-pointer at 836 consecutive games. The streak began on March 2, 2000, in an 86-69 win over Air Force. Chattanooga holds the longest active streak at 842 games.
