Strong Free Throw Shooting and Rebounding Give BYU The Win Over TCU Thursday

PROVO, Utah ( Feb.1, 2007)

Shooting a conference best 80 percent from the free throw line along with strong rebounding gave BYU (16-5, 7-1 MWC) a 69-65 win over TCU (15-7, 5-3 MWC) Thursday night in the Marriot Center.

Along with shooting 80 percent from the line, the Cougars also grabbed 46 total rebounds including 15 from Dani Wright and 10 from Lauren Riley. Riley's 10 rebounds came along with her 10 points to give her her first double-double of the season.

"I'm very pleased with our rebounding," said BYU Head Coach Jeff Judkins

Solid outside shooting and great play by the BYU bench players in the first half were key in giving BYU the lead throughout the first half. The Cougar bench players accounted for 16 of BYU's 33 first-half points with Shawnee Slade leading the way with 10 first half points and five rebounds. Ashley Cheesman and Cassie King also contributed off the bench combining for six points. The team shot 45 percent from both the field and the three point line to give BYU a 33-28 lead going into the locker room at halftime.

The Cougars started the second half the way that they had left off jumping to a 36-28 lead behind a Mallary Gillespie three pointer with 19:34 left in the second half.

TCU put together a run to cut the Cougar lead to four with 15:21 remaining when Melinda Johnsen hit a three pointer of her own to extend the BYU lead to seven, 41-34.

Despite missed shots and turnovers BYU maintained a seven-point lead over the next five minutes of play.

TCU then began to put full court pressure on the Cougars which BYU handled well and kept the lead at eight, 57-49, with 6:28 left in the game.

"When you don't have a point guard it's really hard," said Coach Judkins. "I have to bring the ball up by committee."

TCU then scored five unanswered points to cut the BYU lead to four with 5:24 remaining.

BYU's Dani Wright put together a run of her own scoring four points and brining the Cougar lead back to six with 4:35 still to play in the game.

TCU and BYU traded baskets and free-throws over the next three minutes with the Cougars never leading by more than four but never trailing.

TCU hit one of two free throws to cut the BYU lead to one, 65-66 with 15 seconds left in the game. After rebounding a missed three pointer by Shawnee Slade, Mallary Gillespie was fouled and hit two free throws to extend the Cougar lead to three, 68-65 with 10 seconds left. Melinda Johnsen hit one more free throw after rebounding a TCU missed free throw and that gave BYU the 69-65 victory.

Mallary Gillespie led the Cougars with 21 points followed by Shawnee Slade with 12.

BYU next plays the Air Force Academy Thursday, February 8th at 7 p.m.,in the Marriott Center

Official Basketball Box Score
TCU LADY FROGS vs BYU COUGARS
02-01-07 7:05 pm at Marriott Center, BYU, Provo, Utah
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VISITORS: TCU LADY FROGS 15-7, 5-3
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
14 BUTLER-RAYFORD, Lor. f  3-9    0-0    4-4    1  5  6   4  10  3  2  0  1  33
34 DAVIS, Ashley....... f  3-6    3-5    0-0    1  1  2   3   9  0  0  1  2  24
42 BIERNACKA, Hanna.... c  7-14   0-0    1-2    2  6  8   3  15  3  2  0  2  37
11 RODEN, Helen........ g  2-9    2-7    0-2    3  3  6   1   6  4  0  0  2  28
33 ROSS, Adrianne...... g  4-13   1-4    4-6    0  1  1   2  13  0  4  0  2  32
10 KNIGHT, Moneka......    3-5    0-2    4-7    0  2  2   3  10  4  1  0  0  31
32 NUNN, Danielle......    0-1    0-1    0-0    1  0  1   3   0  0  0  0  0   9
55 YOUNGER, Micaela....    1-4    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   2  0  1  0  0   6
   TEAM................                         3  2  5
   Totals..............   23-61   6-19  13-21  11 21 32  19  65 14 10  1  9 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-31 32.3%   2nd Half: 13-30 43.3%   Game: 37.7%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  3-8  37.5%   2nd Half:  3-11 27.3%   Game: 31.6%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  5-7  71.4%   2nd Half:  8-14 57.1%   Game: 61.9%    2
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HOME TEAM: BYU COUGARS 16-5, 7-1
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
35 JOHNSEN, Melinda.... f  2-3    2-2    1-2    0  4  4   3   7  5  2  1  0  35
52 RILEY, Lauren....... f  5-11   0-0    0-0    4  6 10   5  10  0  4  0  2  19
45 WRIGHT, Dani........ c  3-8    0-1    2-2    7  8 15   3   8  1  7  0  1  27
15 KEELE, Jennie....... g  0-1    0-1    3-4    0  0  0   1   3  2  1  0  1  28
30 GILLESPIE, Mallary.. g  5-16   3-9    8-8    0  3  3   2  21  4  1  1  2  38
05 CHEESMAN, Ashley....    2-2    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   1   4  0  1  0  0  10
13 JUDKINS, Jaime......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
32 SLADE, Shawnee......    5-12   2-5    0-2    2  6  8   3  12  5  3  0  1  28
54 KING, Cassie........    1-2    0-0    2-2    0  1  1   1   4  0  1  0  0  15
   TEAM................                            4  4
   Totals..............   23-55   7-18  16-20  13 33 46  19  69 17 20  2  7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 13-29 44.8%   2nd Half: 10-26 38.5%   Game: 41.8%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  5-11 45.5%   2nd Half:  2-7  28.6%   Game: 38.9%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  2-2  100 %   2nd Half: 14-18 77.8%   Game: 80.0%    2
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Officials: Jack Jones, Eric Larsen, Laura Rahe
Technical fouls: TCU LADY FROGS-None. BYU COUGARS-None.
Attendance: 672
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
TCU LADY FROGS................   28   37  -   65
BYU COUGARS...................   33   36  -   69
OFFICIAL FINAL