BYU women's basketball ends 'anxious' 12-day layoff with rout of Pacific

PROVO — Shaylee Gonzales was just making up for lost time.

So, too, was the rest of the BYU women's basketball team.

Gonzales had 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals Tuesday afternoon to lead the Cougars to an 80-61 win over Pacific in their first game since Jan. 14.

Twelve days between games is a long time. Twelve days between wins would be even longer.

That doesn't mean the Cougars were out of sight for nearly two weeks; the team practiced as soon as they returned home following a positive test for the coronavirus the morning before they were supposed to tip-off against Portland, and Gonzales even snuck into the highly secure Marriott Center Annex with her brother to take extra shots while they figured out the team's next game.

"You get anxious," said the redshirt sophomore who averages a league-best 20.2 points per game. "I just came into this game with frustration, wanting to play so bad. I think that's what pushed my aggressiveness on the floor, pushing the ball, and being with my team."

The Cougars (9-2, 5-1 WCC) scored 23 points off 20 turnovers, including 14 steals.

Tegan Graham overcame a harsh, inadvertent elbow to the throat to finish with 15 points and six rebounds for the Cougars, and Sara Hamson added 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.

Maria Albiero added 7 points, six rebounds and six assists for BYU, and Paisley Harding supplied 7 points and three assists for a team that subbed early and often.

"You can do all the things you want to keep them in shape, and there's nothing like games," BYU head coach Jeff Judkins said. "We got a little tired, though … before we got our second wind. The second half, I think we got a little sluggish.

"But this team wants to be good. They want to be aggressive, and I think it starts with the guard line. Shaylee, Maria and Paisley are as athletic as any guard line in the league, and they're as active as any.

Valerie Higgins led Pacific with 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight steals, and former Springville High standout Savannah Whitehead added 5 points for the Tigers.

The Cougars used a 25-4 run to end the first quarter up 29-9, shooting 55% from the field, and never looked back. The Tigers made just three of their first 28 shots — fewer than Gonzales alone, who was 4-of-7 from the field before the quarter break.

Gonzales had 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals in leading the Cougars to a 47-21 halftime lead. That's many takeaways as the Tigers had 2-point field goals before the break, while finishing the half with a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

BYU led by as much as 29 in the first half. Pacific cut the deficit as low as 19 while holding the Cougars to 14 points in the third quarter.

But the Tigers could get no closer, even as BYU subbed regularly to avoid fatigue and maintain fresh legs.

"I know I was tired," Hamson admitted. "I don't know if it was the 12 days of practice, but that weekend in Portland was weird. We came back and practiced after we traveled home, so that wasn't the best weekend.

"I feel like we had a lot pent up, just itching to play."

Last week, BYU's road trip to the Pacific Northwest was canceled due to COVID-19 issues, knocking out the annual game that has become something of a rivalry with Gonzaga. The Zags rose to No. 17 in the Associated Press women's basketball poll this week, and the Cougars returned home without that game and a preceding contest at Portland, as well.

Prior to Tuesday, three of BYU's previous four games had been postponed. In addition to the Northwest swing, the Cougars' road tip with Pepperdine originally scheduled for Jan. 9 was also halted.

That left the 80-63 home win on Jan. 14 over Saint Mary's as BYU's only game in over two weeks prior to Tuesday.

"It was good to play," Judkins said succinctly. "I think we need to play; we sat out too much. It's how we get better."

BYU won't have to wait another 12 days for their next game, either. The Cougars will continue their four-game homestand Saturday against San Diego.

Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. MST on BYUtv.

"That's why we came to college, to play basketball," Hamson said. "To have the build up to a game and get cancelled, it's almost emotionally exhausting. Games are fun, and I'm glad we got to play today — very grateful."

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