BYU coach Soni Adams can empathize with Wyoming's Chad Lavin. At the same time, however, Adams couldn't help but feel great after "by far the biggest win" in her Cougar coaching career.
BYU'S 70-60 upset victory over the Cowgirls Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center was Adams' first in a WAC tournament game in her three years at the Cougar helm. Lavin's WAC tourney record at Wyoming, meanwhile, fell to 0-7.It was BYU's second win in 72 hours over Wyoming and its third straight overall.
"Our first goal this season was to get to this tournament," said Adams, whose team improved to 11-17 after starting the year 3-12. "Our next goal was not just to show up, but to make some noise. Maybe this is a sign that our kids are starting to peak at the right time."
The Cowgirls can vouch for the Cougs peaking at the right time. Wyoming entered the tournament with a much glossier resume than BYU, but - as usual - were sent packing early. Wyoming finished the year 17-11.
BYU's "defense had good pressure," said Lavin, whose team turned the ball over 29 times and shot only 34 percent from the floor. "We just didn't have a good offensive game."
The Cougs led virtually from start to finish. Neither team played particularly well in the first half - both clubs shot just 28 percent from the field - but BYU did a better job handling the ball and led by as many as 10, at 18-8, before settling in for a 25-21 lead at the break.
The Cowgirls made a run in the second half and even took a short-lived two-point lead, 32-30, on a three-point bomb by Mistee Worman with 15:50 to play. BYU regained the lead for good with 13:55 remaining, 35-34, on a bucket by freshman point guard Megan Jensen.
"We were never really worried," said Kim Baum, BYU's lone senior. "We had a feeling going in that we were going to win."
The Cougars gradually built up a double-digit lead which they were able to hold on to thanks to 11 points from the free throw line in the final 1:47.
Renae Hansen and Kari Gallup led the Cougs with 13 points each, while sophomore center Jumana Salti came off the bench to pull down a career-high 11 boards. Freshman center Jill Adams scored 10 points and grabbed nine boards.
The Cougars will have their work cut out for them, however, if they want to continue to make noise. They will face Utah, the Mountain Division champion, in a Wednesday quarterfinal at 7 p.m. The Utes, who went 15-1 in league games, beat BYU twice this season.
"I'm excited (about playing Utah again)," said Cougar guard Kari Gallup. "They're a fun team to play. I think we're going to surprise them in how much we've improved since our last meeting. It's going to be a great game."
There will be no women's games Tuesday, as the men's first-round games will take center stage at the Thomas & Mack.
In other first-round women's contests Monday:
Hawaii 67, Texas Christian 52: Kendis Leeburg, the Rainbow Wahine center, scored 24 points and pulled down nine rebounds in the victory. The Horned Frogs, the sixth seed from the Mountain Division, stayed close through the first half and the game was knotted, 22-22 at intermission. But Hawaii, the third-seed from the Pacific Division, was too much in the second half. Hawaii will play Rice in a Wednesday quarterfinal.
New Mexico 70, Fresno State 59: The Lobos trailed by five at the half, but outscored the Bulldogs 41-25 in the second half to advance to the quarterfinals. Abby Garchek scored 21 and center Katie Kern had 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for New Mexico, which will play San Diego State, the Pacific Division champ, Wednesday.
SMU 76, San Jose State 52: In the most lopsided game from the first day, the Mustangs thumped the Spartans. SMU, the third-seeded team from the Mountain Division, jumped out to a 36-20 lead at the half and never looked back. The 'Stangs will face Colorado State, the second-place team from the Pacific Division, in Wednesday's late quarterfinal.