PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s basketball opened the 2024-25 season with a win over Idaho on Wednesday night in the Marriott Center.
The Cougars held off Idaho to secure a 67-62 victory.
BYU had a 16-point halftime lead but saw it trimmed to one point in the fourth quarter.
BYU women’s basketball defeats Idaho 67-62
Freshman Delaney Gibb led BYU with a team-high 17 points in her college basketball debut. Idaho’s Hope Hassmann scored a game-high 23 points.
Along with scoring production, Gibb dished out five assists. She scored eight of her 17 points from the free-throw line, knocking down 80% of her attempts from the charity stripe.
Gibb pointed to her defense as a highlight from her debut. The Raymond, Alberta, Canada native had two blocks and one steal.
“I think what helped me out was my defense,” Gibb said. “When Amari was off, I had to pick up ball and that always gives me a lot of energy. That worked well, and then also attacking into the paint hard and drawing fouls. It’s always nice to get to the free throw line and knock down some free shots.”
Former Utah/Cal transfer Kemery Congdon was a steadying force for BYU, scoring 12 points.
Santa Clara transfer Marya Hudgins had eight points and nine rebounds to give BYU the season-opening victory.
First Quarter
BYU opened the season on a 9-0 run. Former Utah and Cal transfer Kemery Congdon scored the season’s first points on a reverse layup, then Santa Clara transfer Marya Hudgins buried the first of her two threes in the first quarter.
A total of six BYU players scored in the first period, led by senior center Emma Calvert, who scored eight points.
BYU 24, Idaho 15
Second Quarter
BYU freshman Delaney Gibb scored nine points in the second quarter, giving her a team-high total of 11 points at the half. Gibb is a heralded freshman from Canada who played in her first BYU game.
Both teams’ offense struggled to close the first half, combining for 0-of-17 to end the second quarter.
Half: BYU 42, Idaho 26
Third Quarter
The Vandals showed fight in the third quarter, outscoring BYU 19-13. BYU only shot 20% from three and committed five turnovers.
BYU 55, Idaho 45
BYU women’s basketball held off Idaho in the Fourth Quarter
Idaho cut BYU’s lead down to eight and had three possessions where they missed three-point attempts. BYU guard Marya Hudgins then knocked down a jumper with 7:50 remaining to get the lead back to double digits.
The Vandals then reeled off a 6-0 run to make it a 57-53 BYU lead.
At the 4:24 mark, BYU was 1-of-8 from the field.
BYU was up 57-55 with Idaho and the Vandals had a fastbreak layup opportunity to tie the game, but Gibb blocked the layup by Hope Hassmann.
The Cougars didn’t capitalize on the offensive end resulting in another empty possession.
Idaho’s Rosie Schweizer hit a layup under the hoop to tie the game at 57.
Gibb then went on the attack and quickly put BYU back in front with a layup of her own. But the Vandals had another answer: Anja Bukvic hit a tough shot to tie it up.
One minute later, with 1:13 remaining, Heather Hamson put BYU in front.
Idaho then burned a 30-second timeout. Out of the break, they committed a turnover, which allowed BYU to set up a play for sharpshooter Kemery Congdon, who buried a three to give BYU a five-point lead.
On the Vandals’ next possession, Hassmann knocked down a three of her own, keeping Idaho within one possession.
BYU then burned a timeout with 20 seconds left. The Vandals fouled Amari Whiting, sending her to the line, where she made only one of her two attempts.
With 17.3 seconds remaining, Idaho committed a turnover out of a timeout, and then they fouled Gibb down 65-62. Gibb knocked down both free throws.
BYU came away with the five-point victory.
Next up for BYU women’s basketball
BYU hosts Wyoming on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Marriott Center.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
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