BYU takes control in second half, defeats Idaho State 67-50 in season opener

PROVO, Utah — BYU shot 40 percent from 3-point range and forced 12 turnovers in the second half to win its fourth consecutive season opener Tuesday night, defeating the Idaho State Bengals 67-50 at the Marriott Center.

The Cougars struggled to get things going in the first half, shooting just 26.3% from the field and 5.8% from beyond the arc. However, things began clicking on both ends of the floor in the third quarter, and BYU pulled away to earn its eighth straight victory over Idaho State.

“It was a hard-fought game. Idaho State does a great job and is well-coached,” head coach Lee Cummard said after the game. “I thought we looked a lot more like ourselves in the second half defensively and offensively, and ultimately that was the difference in the game. I’m really pleased to come out with a win, and we’ve got a lot to learn and improve on going into our next game.”

Junior guard Delaney Gibb led the way for Cummard’s squad, finishing the night with a game-high 17 points. She added seven rebounds and four assists to finish with a team-high plus-20 in plus-minus.

While BYU didn’t see another player finish in double figures, six different players scored at least seven points. Behind Gibb, sophomore guard Olivia Hamlin finished with nine points while sophomores Sydney Benally and Mariam Traore each added eight off the bench.

The Cougars also dominated the boards, outrebounding Idaho State 51-34. BYU grabbed 23 of those rebounds on the offensive glass, leading to 13 second-chance points. BYU also turned the Bengals’ 20 turnovers into 28 points.

First Half

The Cougars wasted no time getting on the board as sophomore Olivia Hamlin knocked down a pull-up jumper just nine seconds into play. Gibb quickly followed with her first 3-pointer of the season, and BYU was up 5-0 early. Idaho State responded quickly with a couple of 3-pointers of its own, and the Bengals entered the first media timeout with a 10-7 lead.

BYU answered with a couple of hard-earned buckets, getting layups from Liza Astakhova and Prasayus Notoa off a turnover and a pair of offensive rebounds. The Bengals responded with a 6-0 run of their own, capitalizing on two BYU turnovers to close the first quarter up 16-11.

The Cougar offense struggled to find the bottom of the net, going scoreless for 5:21 until Brinley Cannon found Mariam Traore inside for a layup to bring BYU back within four. That sparked an 8-0 run, with all four buckets coming inside the paint. The BYU defense also forced two five-second violations to help maintain the newfound momentum.

Delaney dime to MT for two 📺 https://t.co/euKPEo34AT https://t.co/BfmUs7A2LF

— BYU Women's Hoops (@byuwbb) November 4, 2026

Idaho State responded with five points of its own, and the Bengal defense blanked the Cougars for another three-minute stretch. A fast-break layup from Hamlin off a steal from Benally and a free throw from Bolanle Yussuf knotted the game at 22-22.

BYU used the bonus to its advantage, adding another three points from the charity stripe to close the half with a 25-24 lead.

Second Half

The 3-ball finally started falling for the Cougars in the third quarter as both Gibb and Benally buried long balls to keep BYU ahead. Those two kept the momentum rolling, turning a Gibb steal into another Benally 3-pointer. BYU extended its lead to 36-31, its largest advantage since the 5-0 start.

TWO STRAIGHT FROM SYD 📺 https://t.co/euKPEo34AT https://t.co/XaMd52OHlT

— BYU Women's Hoops (@byuwbb) November 4, 2026

Defense continued to lead to offense, and an ensuing 8-2 run forced an Idaho State timeout. BYU recorded six steals in the first eight minutes of the second half, tripling its first-half total. Fourteen of the Cougars’ 21 third-quarter points came off those forced turnovers, including three of their five made 3-pointers.

The Bengals added four points via free throws to bring the game back within nine, but a spinning jumper in the paint from Gibb as time expired made it a 48-37 lead heading into the final quarter.

BYU kept its foot on the gas, opening the fourth quarter with eight unanswered points to push its lead to 17. The Bengals knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to bring it back within 12, but Gibb drained a long ball of her own to keep Idaho State at arm’s length.

The Bengals wouldn’t go down without a fight, scoring on four straight possessions and bringing the game back within 10. However, the Cougar defense resumed its second-half dominance, with a big-time block from Traore and a steal from Cannon putting the game on ice. Gibb added her fourth 3-pointer of the night to cap off a 42-point half for the Cougars.

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