PROVO, Utah – Sophomore Ashley Garfield scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the BYU women's basketball team to an 89-51 victory over Chadron State in an exhibition game on Thursday night at the Marriott Center.

“Garfield had a great game and she’s played like that in practice, so it’s no surprise,” head coach Jeff Judkins said. “We’ve got to keep working on some things, but I was happy with the way our younger players played, especially in the second half.”

Chadron State scored the first two points of the game. BYU then answered with an 18-0 run and never looked back.

Two other Cougars scored in double figures, but it was their team defense which controlled the pace of the game. BYU executed a full-court press very early in the game, forced 31 turnovers and held Chadron State to 24.6 percent shooting.

Starting center Jennifer Hamson contributed four blocks and three steals in just 10 minutes of play. Junior Kim Parker Beeston also added three steals.

Offensively, BYU held the advantage in points in the paint, 52-8. Sophomore Lexi Eaton, last year’s second leading scorer, didn’t convert a field goal until the second half, but she chipped in 10 points and three rebounds. Eaton sparked a 10-0 run with three layups and a jumper at the start of the second half. 

The Cougars also distributed the ball well as they dominated in the assist column, 28-5.

Coach Judkins rotated through 14 different players in the first half. Haley Steed led BYU with 10 points in the half on 4-for-5 shooting, including 2-for-2 from three after one half of play.

BYU will host a second exhibition game this week as Dixie State comes to Provo on Friday. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. and admission is free.

In preparation for the upcoming 2012-13 basketball season, the Cougar women’s team has scheduled two exhibition games this week.

BYU hosts Chadron State on Thurs. Nov. 1 and instate foe Dixie State on Fri. Nov. 2. Both games tip off at 7 p.m., and admission is free.

The Cougars had a hugely successful season last year compiling a 26-7, 12-4 record that included a second place finish in the WCC regular season race and a league tournament title. BYU also competed in the NCAA tournament playing a first round game at DePaul.

Returning starters Haley Steed, Kim Parker Beeston and Lexi Eaton will be the cornerstone of the team that returns 10 letterwinners.  Steed was named the 2012 WCC tournament MVP, Beeston picked up two WCC Player of the Week citations and Eaton was the WCC Co-Newcomer of the Year and was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team. Among the letterwinners is junior center Jennifer Hamson who was third on the team in scoring, second in rebounding and led the team in blocks.

Also back for her third year is junior Stephanie Vermunt Seaborn who played in all games averaging 6.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Other experienced players that will strengthen the Cougar lineup are Stephanie Rovetti and Morgan Bailey, redshirts from the 2010-11 year. Two others who gained valuable experience as freshmen last year, Xojian Harry and Ashley Garfield, return for another season. Cougar fans will also see a familiar face on the court in 2012-13 in Keilani Moeaki Unga who last played for BYU in 2009-10. That year Unga averaged 4.4 points and 2.2 rebounds a game.

Four highly touted freshmen including two in-state standouts, begin their college careers this fall. Utahns Micaelee Orton and Makenzi Morrison will be joined by Kylie Maeda from Honolulu, and Kristine Fuller from Crystal Beach, Fla.

Chadron State compiled an 8-18, 8-14 mark last year. They return five letterwinners and one starter.

Dixie State College tallied an 18-8, 13-5 record in the 2011-12 campaign. From that team, six letterwinners are back including three starters.

Both of the exhibition games are slated to air live on BYUtv.

The Cougars officially open the 2012-13 campaign hosting instate rival Weber State on Fri., Nov. 9 at 3 p.m.