Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
HOUSTON — After earning honorable mention All-American honors from the Associated Press early in the week, BYU sharpshooter Lexi Eaton Rydalch capped her collegiate career as one of eight players in the State Farm Women’s 3-point Championship Thursday on ESPN.
The former Springville High star fell to Arizona State’s Katie Hempen, who totaled a round-high 18 points in the opening round. The West Coast Conference player of the year scored 13 points, just missing the cut by two to move to the semifinals.
Minnesota’s Rachel Banham won the shootout, edging Army’s Kelsey Minato, 18-15, in the final round. Bantam took each shot from nearly two feet behind the 3-point line.
Contestants advanced through three rounds, attempting 25 shots from five racks stationed around the court, with one 2-point “money ball” in each rack as well.
Rydalch was the second player in BYU women’s basketball history invited to the annual event played at the site of the Final Four. Ex-Cougar Kari Gallup won the competition in 1998.
Georgia Tech’s Adam Smith sent the crowd into a frenzy in the semifinal round of the men’s contest with his 26-point effort, including Rydalch and the women’s contestants who were seated on the bench.
Smith won the men’s 3-point shootout, besting Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell, 23-16 in the final round.
Banham’s 18 points were the highest total in women’s shootout history. She defeated Smith in the Battle of Champions to end the event, marking the second-straight year the women’s 3-point champ has defeated the men’s 3-point champ.
