Win Begins Second Round of Conference

PROVO, Utah (Feb. 13) -- The BYU women basketball team kicked off the second half of Mountain West Conference play on Wednesday, defeating Colorado State 59-44. With the win, the Cougars improve to 12-9 on the season and 6-3 in conference play.

"We've done well in past years playing better in the second half of conference play," said BYU head coach Jeff Judkins. "Hopefully we can do that again. I feel we're getting better."

Shawnee Slade led three Cougars scoring in double figures with 14 points. Lauren Riley-Varley contributed 11 points and Ashley Cheesman added 10 points. Varley also brought down a team-high 11 rebound, marking her fourth double-double of the season.

To begin the game, CSU's Sara Hunter scored a three-pointer on her team's first possession, giving the Rams their only lead of the game. The Cougars tied the game with just over 18 minutes remaining the first half, and improved their effort defensively, holding the Rams scoreless for the next 10 minutes.

CSU would go on a six-point run of its own, before a jumper by Coriann Wood with 7:27 remaining in the first half brought the score to 16-9. Two back-to-back baskets quickly extended the Cougars' lead to double digits.

"When we score early, our defensive intensity is better," said Judkins. "When things aren't going right on the offensive end, we need to work on still maintaining that same intensity."

Slade's make from behind the arc put the Cougars up by 13 points with 1:45 remaining in the half. At the break, the Rams were held to 17 percent shooting from the field.

Hot shooting lifted BYU to start the second half. Once again, CSU began with a made three-pointer, but Slade immediately answered with one of her own on the Cougars' next possession. The junior, along with Varley combined for BYU's next six points, bringing the score to 33-18.

The Cougars cooled down after two quick CSU baskets with 15:16 remaining in the game. BYU's came back to 40-28 on back-to-back three-pointers by Jazmine Foreman and Wood.

The Rams continued to make shots, coming to within three points at 40-37 with 6:42 to play. BYU refused to relinquish its lead however, scoring six straight points, with makes by Varley, Slade and Mallary Gillespie-Carling.

"[CSU] got us standing around a lot," said Judkins. "We tried a lot of different looks, but when I decided to change to motion, we started getting easier shots and better movement."

Junior Cassie King hit two crucial free-throws with just under four minutes remaining in the game to put BYU up 48-40. Both teams traded baskets back-and-forth before a jump ball was called, going the Cougars' way. An intentional foul call put Chessman at the charity stripe, where she went 2-for-2 with 1:13 left in the game.

Up next the Cougars will head to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. PT.

Official Basketball Box Score
Colorado State vs Brigham Young Univer
02-13-08 7:00 PM at MARRIOTT CTR, BYU, PROVO UT
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VISITORS: Colorado State 2-21; 0-10
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
03 UZOMAH, Amaka....... f  1-4    0-0    1-2    3  9 12   5   3  0  1  0  0  27
05 YOUNG, Lauren....... f  1-5    0-1    1-2    1  2  3   1   3  0  1  1  0  25
11 QUEEN, Elle......... f  3-9    0-0    2-2    3  3  6   2   8  3  1  0  3  35
04 HUNTER, Sara........ g  4-19   2-10   0-0    0  3  3   0  10  1  3  0  1  33
21 NEAL, Emily......... g  3-9    2-4    0-0    1  2  3   1   8  0  3  0  0  24
02 BARBEE,Bonnie.......    1-2    1-2    0-0    0  0  0   0   3  0  1  0  0   3
13 MINOR, Britney......    1-2    0-0    2-2    1  2  3   0   4  0  1  0  1  17
15 BEEMER, Kandy.......    0-2    0-2    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  0  0  0  0   5
23 SIMMONS, Zoi........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0  0+
32 REIMINK, Carine.....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
35 CORNELL, Juanise....    1-8    0-0    3-6    3  4  7   3   5  2  0  0  0  31
   TEAM................                         3  2  5
   Totals..............   15-60   5-19   9-14  15 28 43  12  44  6 12  1  5 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  5-29 17.2%   2nd Half: 10-31 32.3%   Game: 25.0%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-11 18.2%   2nd Half:  3-8  37.5%   Game: 26.3%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  3-4  75.0%   2nd Half:  6-10 60.0%   Game: 64.3%    2
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HOME TEAM: Brigham Young Univer 12-9; 6-3
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
05 CHEESMAN, Ashley.... f  3-6    0-0    4-4    1  4  5   1  10  0  1  0  1  19
32 SLADE, Shawnee...... f  6-13   2-6    0-0    0  3  3   1  14  1  1  0  0  34
52 VARLEY, Lauren...... c  5-7    0-0    1-2    3  8 11   3  11  1  3  2  0  22
22 NIELSON, Mindy...... g  1-6    0-3    1-2    0  2  2   3   3  9  3  1  2  33
30 CARLING, Mallary.... g  2-8    1-4    0-2    0  4  4   2   5  4  1  0  2  36
03 FOREMAN, Jazmine....    1-2    1-2    0-0    0  3  3   0   3  2  1  0  0   9
11 JACKSON, AMY........    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   0
13 JUDKINS, Jaime......    0-2    0-2    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   4
14 RED, Sarah..........    1-3    1-1    0-0    0  3  3   1   3  0  0  0  0   6
23 WOOD, Coriann.......    2-3    1-2    0-0    0  2  2   1   5  0  0  0  0  11
45 MOEAKI, Keilani.....    0-1    0-0    0-0    1  1  2   1   0  0  0  0  1  12
54 KING, Cassie........    1-2    0-0    3-4    1  1  2   3   5  0  2  1  0  14
55 MARKS, Megan........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
   TEAM................                         1  2  3
   Totals..............   22-54   6-20   9-14   7 33 40  16  59 17 12  4  6 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half:  9-31 29.0%   2nd Half: 13-23 56.5%   Game: 40.7%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  3-12 25.0%   2nd Half:  3-8  37.5%   Game: 30.0%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  3-7  42.9%   2nd Half:  6-7  85.7%   Game: 64.3%    2
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Officials: MICHAEL PRICE, SHELLEY NAKASONE, CONNIE PARDUE
Technical fouls: Colorado State-TEAM. Brigham Young Univer-None.
Attendance: 605
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
Colorado State................   15   29  -   44
Brigham Young Univer..........   24   35  -   59
OFFICIAL FINAL
Points in the paint-CS 14,BY 30. Points off turnovers-CS 10,BY 15.
2nd chance points-CS 9,BY 7. Fast break points-CS 2,BY 0.
Bench points-CS 12,BY 16. Score tied-1 time. Lead changed-1 time.
Last FG-CS 2nd-01:56, BY 2nd-00:22.
Largest lead-CS by 3 1st-19:47, BY by 15 2nd-16:48.