BYU tops UC Riverside 72-70 in overtime at home opener

PROVO, Utah – Four Cougars scored in doubles digits in their season opener as BYU topped UC Riverside 72-70 in overtime Friday in the Marriott Center.

BYU vs. UC Riverside Final Box Score

“I thought Riverside played really well tonight,” BYU head coach Jeff Judkins said. “They shot the lights out and they usually don’t shoot like that. We did a good job hanging in there and I’m really proud of my team tonight. They got down when they could have made some bad mistakes, but they stepped it up. Each kid did something in a positive way for us to win that game and for us, that’s big because it didn’t happen a lot last year.”

Brenna Chase and Paisley Johnson led BYU (1-0) with 18 points each. Johnson had a double-double as she pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. Chase dished out seven assists for game highs as well. Freshman Shaylee Gonzales and sophomore Maria Albiero also scored in double digits with 16 and 10 respectively.

UC Riverside (0-2) held a two-point advantage in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. With the clock winding down, Johnson drove to the basket for a layup tying the game at 66-66 sending the game into overtime.

Two free throws from the Highlanders gave them a two-point lead as the overtime period began. Chase quickly responded with a jumper in the paint to tie the score at 70-70. On defense, Jasmine Moody snagged the rebound to prevent UC Riverside (UCR) from scoring on their next possession. Gonzales made two free throws to give the two-point 72-70 lead to BYU with 2:06 left in the overtime period. The Cougars held UCR scoreless for the remainder of the game to clinch the home win.

UCR made the first shot of the game, but they quickly fouled Albiero in the paint, giving her two shots to even the game. Johnson drove under the basket and brought the lead back for BYU 4-3.

The Highlanders went on a 7-0 run to take the lead 10-6 before Moody ended the run on a jumper in the paint. Later, Chase weaved between the defenders to drive to the basket giving BYU two points. She followed it up with two more layups for the Cougars, bringing the score within three at 17-14.

In the second quarter, Chase was fouled under the basket and made both free throws, which brought the score within three, 21-18. Johnson made the first trey of the game, tying the game at 21-21. She then brought the ball down the court and dished it out to Chase, who drained the second 3 for BYU giving the Cougars their first lead of the game, 24-21.

BYU finished the half with back-to-back threes from Gonzales and Johnson to take a narrow four-point, 37-33 lead heading into the break. 

In the third quarter, the Highlanders went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 45-45. Gonzales drove the ball into the basket for a two-point, 47-45 Cougar lead. BYU maintained its lead until UCR made a trey as time expired in the third period and a 52-50 advantage for the visiting Highlanders. 

Gonzales made the first shot of the fourth quarter with a three. Both teams battled back and forth with neither team taking more than a two-point edge. Chase tied it up the score at 59-59 from a breakaway off her own steal. On the final two possessions of the fourth period, Johnson made two critical baskets that would send the game into overtime.

BYU stays home to face Pac-12 foe California, Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. MDT in the Marriott Center. The game will have a live video stream on TheW.tv.

Postgame Notes

First Quarter

• Chase hit three consecutive shots late in the first quarter to keep the Cougars within five points of the Highlanders

• UCR shot an even 50 percent from the field in the first quarter, with two threes, while the Cougars shot just 43.8 percent

Second Quarter

• Johnson hit BYU’s first 3-pointer of the game just one minute into the second quarter, followed immediately by a three from Chase to give BYU the lead, 24-21

• BYU held UCR scoreless for the first four minutes of the second quarter, using a 9-0 run to take a 25-21 lead

• The Cougars improved their shooting to 46 percent after the second quarter and also hit four 3-pointers to take a 37-33 lead into the half. Their defense held UCR to 25 percent shooting in the second quarter.

• Third Quarter

• Albiero scored the first five points of the second half for BYU to go up 42-36

• BYU got in foul trouble late in the third quarter when Chase and Johnson got their fourth fouls

• Albiero reached double figures on an and-one play to get her to 10 points late in the third quarter

Fourth Quarter

• Gonzales hit her second three of the game to open the fourth quarter and put BYU up 53-52. The shot also put her in double digits with 12

• Johnson reached a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds late in the fourth

• UCR extended its lead to four, but a three from Chase and fast-break layup from Johnson, assisted by Chase, put BYU up, 64-63, with 1:18 left in the game

• Johnson tied the game at 66 with 13.5 seconds left to send the game to overtime

Overtime

• Moody hit her first free throws of the game to put BYU up 70-68 two minutes into overtime

• Johnson fouled out with 2:52 left in overtime

• Gonzales scored 16 points and had two steals in her debut as a Cougar