PROVO — Saturday's BYU-UNLV women's basketball game played like Utah Valley's recent weather — get the bodies inside because it's cold outside.
UNLV packed its defense inside the paint, content to let the host Cougars fire away from outside. Or, better put, misfire, as BYU's chilly perimeter shooting mirrored local sub-freezing temperatures.
The Cougars played well enough for a 64-59 victory, improving to 14-4 overall and 5-0 in Mountain West Conference action. Not only are the Cougars perfect in league play, they've been perfect at the Marriott Center — 8-0 overall and 3-0 in MWC games.
But Saturday's matinee was far from perfect, as BYU suffered through 30 percent shooting from perimeter players and a paltry 40.9 percent from the line, including 4-of-10 in the final 54 seconds.
The result: another game where the Cougars played just well enough to win, but far from dominating a lesser foe.
"You can't let people hang around because you can get a bad bounce," said BYU coach Jeff Judkins, pleased with the win but less than content with the overall performance and his Cougars' inability to pull away. "This is bad to say, but maybe we need a loss to learn it."
Added Judkins: "You're never satisfied with mediocrity."
Mallary Gillespie, whose 17 points tied for game-high honors, said her Cougars are waiting for breakout games similar to wins at New Mexico and Stanford.
"We're still looking for that every game — that we'll play to our ability," she said. "And we haven't played a full 40-minute game since New Mexico."
Gillespie's 5-of-16 shooting included all makes and all but two misses behind the arc. Add in Shawnee Slade's 3-of-11 shooting, Jennie Keele's 3-of-10 and Melinda Johnsen's 2-of-5, and the perimeter shooters managed just 13-of-42 for 30.9 percent — bringing down the team's 41.1 percent shooting for the game.
With Vegas content to pack its defense around frontcourters Dani Wright and Lauren Riley, Judkins was fine with the shot selection and has confidence in his shooters. "I hope they give us those shots down in Vegas," he said.
While Gillespie was the only BYU player in double figures, five teammates finished with either eight or nine points apiece.
With three Rebels in double figures, UNLV (8-9, 2-3 MWC) was led by Shamela Hampton's 17 points.
After two Gillespie treys to open the game, the Cougars suffered a seven-minute drought — UNLV struggled also as a 6-6 score stood for six minutes. BYU erased a 12-10 deficit with a 13-0 run keyed by Ashley Cheesman's four points, but UNLV countered with a 9-2 spurt to pull to within 25-21 at the half.
The Cougars flirted with two momentary double-digit leads in the second half but could never pull away.
BYU next plays Thursday at San Diego State.
E-mail: taylor@desnews.com