PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s basketball overcame a double-digit deficit to hold off No. 13 Gonzaga, 70-68 Thursday at the Marriott Center and become the only remaining undefeated team in West Coast Conference play.

BYU vs. Gonzaga Final Box Score

“As a coach, these are the nights that you really pray for and that you work hard for," BYU head coach Jeff Judkins said. "This is what makes it all worth it. This opportunity to see them happy makes all the hours watching film and breaking things down worth it. This is what this team has been about all year. Nobody cares who gets the glory, they just want to win.”

Shaylee Gonzales shot 50 percent from the field on her way to scoring a game-high 17 points while also grabbing five rebounds. Brenna Chase contributed 14 points to go along with four assists and three steals. Paisley Johnson supplied 13 points and Sara Hamson scored six points while pulling down six rebounds and blocking four shots.

BYU (15-3, 7-0 WCC) came back from trailing by 12 points in the first period to hold a 67-64 lead over Gonzaga (16-2, 5-1 WCC) with 2:37 left in the game. Hamson recorded her fourth block to help maintain the three-point lead for the Cougars down the stretch. Johnson drew a foul and scored two free throws to put BYU up 69-66 with one minute remaining. The Bulldogs scored a jumper to bring the score within one point before putting Gonzales at the free throw line with 13 seconds left on the clock. Gonzales went one of two from the line giving BYU the two-point lead 70-68. Gonzaga missed a 3-point attempt and a second-chance layup as time expired to clinch the 70-68 win for the Cougars.

Gonzales scored a driving layup and Shalae Salmon added a free throw to give BYU a 3-2 lead to start the game. The Bulldogs used a 14-2 run to take an 11-point lead over the Cougars 16-5. Johnson made two free throws and Jasmine Moody scored in the post off a lob to bring the score to 16-9 with a minute left in the period. Gonzaga answered with a 3-point jumper to lead 19-9 to end the quarter.

The Bulldogs took a brief double-digit lead before Chase knocked down a shot from behind the arc to bring the score to 21-12. Johnson capitalized off of a pair of defensive stops, scoring two baskets to cut the lead to 26-19 midway through the second period. The Cougars continued their run with a fast-break layup from Chase and made 3-pointers from Maria Albiero and Gonzales bringing the game within one possession, 30-27. Hamson put back an offensive rebound and Albiero hit her second 3-pointer of the quarter to put BYU within two points with under a minute left in the half. Johnson drew a foul on a 3-point shot with one second on the clock and made two of the free throws to tie the game at 34-all at the half.

Chase started the second half with a steal and a fast-break layup to give BYU its first lead since the start of the game. The two teams traded baskets with Gonzales scoring two straight layups to keep the lead 40-38. Hamson pulled down another offensive rebound and put it up for a score to give the Cougars a three-point lead 46-43. Gonzales added a pair of free throws and Hamson made another layup to extend the lead 50-46. Gonzaga ended the third period with a six-point run to take a 52-50 lead.

The Cougars tied the game up 54-all off of a layup from Chase on a fast break and a driving layup from Moody to start the final period. Gonzales knocked down a 3-point shot from downtown to reclaim the lead for BYU 61-60. Chase scored on back-to-back possessions to push the Cougars’ lead to 65-62 halfway through the final period before BYU outlasted Gonzaga to win 70-68.

The Cougars remain at home to host Portland at the Marriott Center on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m. MDT. The game will be broadcast on BYUtv with live stats available on the BYU women’s basketball schedule page.

Postgame Notes

Team

• Three Cougars scored in double figures for the eighth time this season: Shaylee Gonzales with 17, Brenna Chase with 14 and Paisley Johnson with 12.

• The Cougars took advantage of 15 Bulldog turnovers to take a 20-14 lead in points off turnovers.

• After being down by as much as 12 points in the second quarter, the Cougars came back to tie it, 34-34 at the half.

• The Cougars led the Bulldogs in rebounds and bench points in the first half, with 18-14 and 10-8 advantages. At the final buzzer, the Cougars held the advantage in bench points, fast break points and points in the paint.

• The 1,341 Cougar fans in attendance were the second most of the season in the Marriott Center and the most in conference play.

Player

• Paisley Johnson had a game-high 10 points in the first half, and Jasmine Moody led in rebounds with five. Moody finished with a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with six points.

• Sara Hamson led all players with four blocks and also contributed six points and six rebounds.

• Brenna Chase added four assists and three steals to her stat line.

• Shaylee Gonzales led all scorers with 17 points in the game to go along with five rebounds.

Player Quotes

Paisley Johnson

What was it like being on the floor for that game?

It was intense, nerve-wracking, extremely fun, exhausting, but that was amazing and absolutely incredible.

How big were the bench players and their contributions?

It was everything. You can't expect three, four or five people to win a basketball game. You've got a whole team out there. You get the subs in there and it starts in practice to make sure that they're ready to play, they know what's happening and what the game plan is. Every single one that got on the floor tonight was ready and was not intimidated at all.

Brenna Chase

What was it like to make those big plays?

We've really worked for this. We knew that we could do this. We know that it was so crazy and it was so fun, but we knew that we could win this game and that we're a good team and that we can win this conference. 

What have you done to ensure that you can bring the same game as last year?

I think my team has helped me out a lot. You think about Paisley and Shaylee and you have to guard them. If you don't guard them, then they're going to score. Then you have to guard our bigs and they doubled our bigs tonight, which opened us up on the three. We have so many threats on the floor, so when they have the opportunity, I trust my teammates to hit the shot and I trust myself to hit it. 

PROVO, Utah— With a 74-73 road win at St. Mary’s, BYU women’s basketball improved its record to 14-3, 6-0 in West Coast Conference play. The Cougars, who are on an eight-game win streak, return home to host No. 13/14 Gonzaga (16-1, 5-0)  Thursday, January 17, at 7 p.m. MST. The league game will air live on BYUtv and online at byutv.org.

BYU vs. Gonzaga Game Notes

GONZAGA at BYU Game Notes

ABOUT BYU

• The Cougars are off to a perfect 6-0 record in league play after picking up wins at Pacific and at St. Mary’s. Currently, BYU is putting up 67.2 points per game while shooting 41.6 percent from the field, 33.5 percent from the 3-point line and 68.4 percent when shooting from the free throw line. The team grabs 38.9 rebounds and has pulled down more boards in eight contests to date.
• Freshman Shaylee Gonzales, who has scored in double-digits in all games, leads in scoring with a 17.6 average. Sophomore Paisley Johnson contributes 14.2 points while teammate junior Brenna Chase puts up 12.5 points a contest. Chase leads in steals (2.8 spg) and ties with Gonzales in assists (4.2 apg). Gonzales tops the list in rebounding with a 5.6 average. Sophomore center Sara Hamson leads in blocks with 1.5 per contest.
• In the WCC, the Cougars rank second in scoring defense, scoring margin, field goal percentage defense and assists; are third in turnover margin, 3-point field goals made and defensive rebounds; fourth in blocked shots and fifth in steals.
• During last year’s WCC race, the Gonzaga Bulldogs swept the series with the Cougars.

ABOUT GONZAGA

• Gonzaga has compiled a 16-1, 5-0 record with its lone loss, an 81-65 defeat by Notre Dame. 
• Senior forward Zykera Rice tops the leaderboard in scoring and rebounding for the Bulldogs with 14.3 points and 6.8 rebounds a game. Senior guard Laura Stockton is the assists leader with a 4.1 average.
• Gonzaga and BYU have two common opponents in their nonconference schedule, both programs beat Eastern Washington and Colorado State.
• In the WCC, the Bulldogs rank first in scoring margin, field goal percentage defense, 3-point field goal percentage defense, rebounding defense and rebounding margin; second in 3-point field goal percentage, blocked shots, steals and turnover margin; third in free throw percentage and field goal percentage.
• Gonzaga has the edge in the series with BYU 15-9; when playing in Provo, the Cougars are 5-4.

GAME PROMOTIONS:
ROC Party 
Prizes: 50 inch TV and an Apple Watch

UP NEXT FOR BYU

After the matchup with Gonzaga, the Cougar women remain home hosting Portland Saturday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m. MST. The game will be broadcast live on BYUtv and online at byutv.og.