Big Second Half Lifts Cougars Past Aggies

PROVO -- Three players scored in double figures as BYU overcame an early deficit to cruise past Utah State, 61-48 on Friday in Logan.

Mindy Nielson and Coriann Wood scored 12 points apiece while Kristen Riley added 11 points, a career-high nine rebounds and a block.

“We played a lot better and harder in the second half,” said BYU head coach Jeff Judkins. “We executed better and we played better defense.”

After trailing the entire first half, BYU (7-3) went on a 7-0 run to take a 38-31 lead over Utah State (4-5) to begin the second period. The Cougars continued to push the advantage, going up by as many as 16 after two free throws by Mindy Nielson at 52-36.

Nielson scored 10 points in the second period to spark a big second half for BYU which as a team gave up only 17 points over the last twenty minutes.

Haley Hall added seven points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists at point guard for BYU and Jazmine Foreman filled up the scoresheet with nine points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals.

At least two players have scored in double figures for BYU in every game this season, with three players scoring in double digits in the Cougars’ last two contests.

As a team, BYU out-rebounded the Aggies 42-30 while forcing 19 turnovers, scoring 27 points off the Utah State miscues.

“We also did a good job rebounding and our team depth really helped us,” Judkins said.

BYU will host Portland on Dec. 31 before starting off the new year welcoming Nevada to the Marriott Center on Jan. 2. Conference play will begin the following week at UNLV on Jan. 6.

Official Basketball Box Score
BYU vs Utah State
12/19/09 5:05 p.m. at Logan, Utah (Dee Glen Smith Spectrum)
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VISITORS: BYU 7-3
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
35 RILEY, Kristen...... f  5-8    0-2    1-2    2  7  9   2  11  0  3  1  0  24
45 MOEAKI, Keilani..... f  4-10   0-1    0-0    3  3  6   1   8  1  2  0  0  23
03 FOREMAN, Jazmine.... g  3-7    2-3    1-5    1  3  4   2   9  6  2  0  2  33
22 NIELSON, Mindy...... g  5-9    0-2    2-2    1  3  4   2  12  7  4  0  2  33
33 HALL, Haley......... g  3-13   1-6    0-0    2  3  5   3   7  3  0  0  4  31
10 KAUFUSI, Alexis.....    1-5    0-0    0-0    1  3  4   0   2  0  3  0  1  10
13 JUDKINS, Jaime......    0-0    0-0    0-0    2  0  2   0   0  1  0  0  0   8
21 BATES, Stephanie....    0-0    0-0    0-0    1  0  1   4   0  0  0  0  0   5
23 WOOD, Coriann.......    2-3    2-2    6-6    1  1  2   4  12  0  2  0  0  20
31 BECK, Marie.........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0  0+
32 PETERSON, Dani......    0-2    0-2    0-2    1  2  3   2   0  0  1  1  0  11
55 LEACH, Megan........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  0  1  0  0   2
   TEAM................                            1  1
   Totals..............   23-57   5-18  10-17  15 27 42  20  61 18 18  2  9 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-30 36.7%   2nd Half: 12-27 44.4%   Game: 40.4%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  5-13 38.5%   2nd Half:  0-5   0.0%   Game: 27.8%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  3-4  75.0%   2nd Half:  7-13 53.8%   Game: 58.8%    4
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HOME TEAM: Utah State 4-5
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
21 WHITE, Amber........ f  4-10   0-1    4-5    0  2  2   1  12  1  6  1  0  36
50 JOHNSON, Nicole..... f  1-3    0-0    2-2    1  0  1   2   4  1  1  1  0  22
35 WHITEHEAD, Lydia.... c  1-5    0-0    0-1    2  8 10   1   2  0  2  0  1  23
13 CODDINGTON, Alice... g  3-9    0-1    1-3    0  4  4   2   7  3  3  0  2  34
15 GODDARD, Trisha Jo.. g  0-2    0-2    0-0    0  1  1   0   0  0  0  0  0  15
01 Pringle-Buchanan, L.    2-5    1-4    1-2    1  3  4   5   6  2  3  0  1  14
02 Williams, TaHara....    3-5    0-0    1-2    1  2  3   2   7  2  1  0  4  28
04 Christensen, Devyn..    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   1
11 HOWARD, Stacey......    1-3    0-1    3-4    0  0  0   1   5  0  1  0  0  14
12 JOHNSON, Jenna......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0   2
42 DIOP, Banna.........    2-4    0-0    1-3    1  0  1   1   5  0  0  0  0  11
   TEAM................                         2  2  4             1
   Totals..............   17-46   1-9   13-22   8 22 30  15  48  9 19  2  8 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 13-25 52.0%   2nd Half:  4-21 19.0%   Game: 37.0%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-2  50.0%   2nd Half:  0-7   0.0%   Game: 11.1%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  4-7  57.1%   2nd Half:  9-15 60.0%   Game: 59.1%    3
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Officials: Brenda Pajola, Kent Johnson, Lucy Banuelos
Technical fouls: BYU-None. Utah State-None.
Attendance: 594
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
BYU...........................   30   31  -   61
Utah State....................   31   17  -   48