PROVO, Utah — BYU downed conference foe LMU 57-42 on senior day at the Marriott Center on Saturday.
"I’m really proud of these seniors," BYU head coach Jeff Judkins said. "Each one of them was a big part of the success of the BYU women’s basketball program. They will be missed with their talents and also with their personalities. I’m really glad we could pull this one out tonight. It wasn’t a pretty game, but I think it shows how it hasn’t been all peaches and cream for our seniors. It’s been a tough uphill battle. I’m really happy for them. We’re going to get ready for this (WCC) tournament and hopefully come out and play our best basketball."
Paisley Johnson led the way offensively with 20 points, four rebounds, one assist and a steal. Senior guard Brenna Chase Drollinger also chipped in 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and a steal. Sarah Hamson also had three points, nine rebounds and seven blocks.
The scoring began right away for the Cougars (18-10, 13-5) as Johnson made a layup to give the team a 2-0 lead. Drollinger and Johnson then exchanged baskets as Drollinger made a layup and 3-point shot while Johnson dropped a trey of her own to make the score 10-3, BYU.
Senior forward Shalae Salmon then made a free throw and Kaylee Smiler made a shot from the charity stripe as well to give the Cougars a 12-6 lead.
Two layups kept the Cougars pushing the pace as Jasmine Moody and Drollinger dropped in a basket each. Maria Albiero then made a fadeaway baseline jumper with contact as she made her free throw to BYU a 19-18 first-quarter lead.
Johnson shouldered the scoring load for the Cougars as she drained a shot from behind the arc, made two free throws and a baseline jumper to bring the BYU lead to 26-18. Sarah Hamson also chipped in offensively with a bucket at the rim and a made free throw. Drollinger made the last bucket of the quarter for the Cougars as the team took a 31-23 lead at the end of the first half.
BYU’s defense held Loyola Marymount (7-24, 3-15) to just 19 percent shooting in the half on 6 of 33 while holding the Lions to just one made field goal in the second period. Johnson paced the Cougar offense with 12 at the half on 50 percent shooting.
The Cougars battled throughout the third quarter as Loyola Marymount held them to just a point in the first five minutes of action. The last five minutes, however, the BYU offense came alive.
Smiler and Drollinger both drained a 3-pointer each and Moody made a layup to give the Cougars a 40-33 lead. Johnson made a pair of free throws at the end of the period, with BYU leading 42-36. Hamson had five blocks in the quarter.
To start the final period, Moody grabbed an offensive rebound then dropped it in for two. Johnson then made a 3-point shot to increase the lead to 47-36. Drollinger made a midrange jumper, Smiler drained another trey, Moody dropped in another bucket and Johnson made a 3-pointer as the Cougars defeated LMU, 57-42.
BYU returns to action in the West Coast Conference Championships in Las Vegas next week. The Cougars will play either Saturday or a week from Monday depending on the final seeding after all games are played Saturday.
Postgame Press Conference - Head coach Jeff Judkins
Postgame Press Conference - Brenna Drollinger
Team Notes
- Two Cougars reached double figures in scoring for the 10th time this season, with Paisley Johnson dropping a game-high 20 points and Brenna Chase Drollinger adding 15.
- BYU shot 30 percent from the field on the afternoon, 24 percent from three-point range and 69 percent from the free-throw line. The Cougars also held LMU to just 22 percent shooting from the floor.
- BYU out-rebounded the Lions 54-44 and outscored LMU in the paint 18-14.
- The Cougar bench out-scored the Lions’ bench 16-8.
- BYU had 15 second-chance points while LMU had none.
- The Cougars held the advantage in assists, 13-5, and in blocks, 7-2.
Player Notes
- Paisley Johnson led all scorers at the half with 12 points to go along with three rebounds and one steal. She ended the game with a game-high 20 points while also adding four rebounds, one assist and one steal. The game was her 20th scoring in double figures this season and her sixth scoring at least 20 points.
- Brenna Drollinger tallied nine points, four rebounds and two assists in the first half. She finished the contest with 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. The game was her 16th reaching double figures in scoring this season.
- Sara Hamson stuffed the stat sheet with a team-high nine rebounds, seven blocks, three points, two assists and one steal.
- Jasmine Moody recorded eight points on 4 of 5 shooting and seven rebounds on the game.
- Kaylee Smiler poured in seven points off the bench to go along with three rebounds and two assists.