Solid shooting gives BYU 105-52 victory over Antelope Valley

PROVO, Utah – Six Cougars scored in double figures to lead BYU women's basketball to an exhibition win against the University of Antelope Valley, 105-52, Saturday in the Marriott Center.

Final Box Score for BYU vs. Antelope Valley

"I thought we played really well tonight and started the game well," BYU head coach Jeff Judkins said. "We did a good job of going in and out. We had an advantage with our inside presence because of our size. It was good to see some of our young kids get some good quality minutes. They did a nice job and looked like they have been in practice. Hopefully, we’re ready. I think we’re getting better. We just have to keep working harder and harder."

The Cougars went 11 of 23 from beyond the arc and held the largest lead of the game at 56 points over the Pioneers. They scored 17 fast-break points compared to just five for Antelope Valley.

Jasmine Moody led BYU with 15 points and Babalu Ugwu followed with 14. Ugwu and freshman Leilani Otuafi were perfect from the free-throw line, going five of five and four of four respectively. Maria Albiero dished out eight assists for the Cougars, while Malli Valgardson Perri led in blocks, with three, and rebounds, with 11.

Paisley Johnson hit a 3 at the top of the key with four minutes left in the quarter to extend an early Cougar lead to 14-7, which forced Antelope Valley into taking their first timeout of the game. Moody sunk two jump-shots on consecutive possessions, putting BYU up 20-10. The Cougars closed out the first quarter on an 11-0 run with baskets made by Shalae Salmon, Moody and Otuafi, pushing the lead to 25-10.

Sara Hamson started the second quarter with back-to-back baskets in the paint putting BYU up 19 points at 29-10. The Cougars held the Pioneers to a three-minute scoring drought in which time Signe Glantz hit her first trey as a Cougar with six minutes left in the half. Steals from Brenna Chase Drollinger on consecutive possessions landed her a layup and buzzer-beater 3-pointer to extend BYU’s lead to 54-24 at the half.

A fast break by Drollinger early in the third quarter extended the Cougars' lead to 61-29 with 7:48 left on the clock. BYU held Antelope Valley scoreless for two minutes while Moody, Salmon and Ugwu racked up points for the Cougars. In her first collegiate appearance, Kaylee Smiler sunk a free throw to close out the third quarter with BYU up 83-37.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Perri drove through two defenders and laid the ball in, extending the Cougars’ lead to 87-39. A three-minute BYU scoring drought ended when Otuafi made two free throws. Her points were followed by back-to-back free throws from Ugwu to put the Cougars up 96-44 with 3:32 left in the game. A block by Perri gave the Cougars the advantage as they drove down the court, giving Glantz an open layup with 2:38 left on the clock. A shot by Perri under the basket gave the Cougars’ their final points of the game.

BYU takes on Washington State in Pullman, Washington for its first regular-season game of the year on Saturday, Nov. 9. The game tips at 1 p.m., PT.

Team Notes

• The BYU bench accounted for 54 of the 105 points scored
• The Cougars shot 58.8 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from behind the arc
• Six Cougars reached double figures in scoring
• Eleven different players scored for the Cougars
• Seven different players combined for 11 made 3-pointers
• BYU outrebounded the Pioneers 58 to 33

Player Notes

• Jasmine Moody led the team with 15 points and also pulled down six rebounds
• Malli Perri recorded a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds while also leading the team with three blocked shots
• Babalu Ugwu scored 14 points while also recording eight rebounds and five assists
• Brenna Drollinger and Paisley Johnson scored 13 points apiece to reach double figures in both 2019-20 exhibition games
• Maria Albiero led the team with eight assists