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SALT LAKE CITY — BYU women's basketball had No. 4 Kansas State on the ropes, but second-year head coach Amber Whiting's freshman-laden team couldn't force the knockout.
Gabby Gregory scored all 10 of her points in the second half, and Serena Sundell added 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists as the Wildcats held on for a 67-65 win Saturday afternoon at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas.
Gisela Sanchez posted a career-high 18 points for the Wildcats (20-1, 9-0 Big 12), who shot just 36.1% from the field and were outrebounded 44-31.
"I just told them I was really proud of them," Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie told ESPN+ after the game. "We're going to be in games like this; this is the Big 12. That's a good team, and that team is coming off a really good win over Texas Tech where they held them to 46."
One game after breaking Tina Gunn Robison's program record for rebounds, Lauren Gustin posted 25 points and 21 rebounds for the Cougars (12-9, 2-6 Big 12), her 75th career double-double and second 20-20 game of the season. Kailey Woolston added 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, and fellow freshman starter Amari Whiting added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists for BYU.
Gustin had 13 points and eight rebounds, and BYU held the Wildcats to 23.5% shooting in the first half en route to a 26-23 halftime edge.
Dagger from the corner🫡 @KaileyWoolston#NCAAWBB x 🎥 ESPN+ / @byuwbbpic.twitter.com/7iNquVwpW5
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) January 27, 2024
Gregory scored 9 points in the third quarter to will Kansas State back into the game, including the game-tying bucket with 3:11 left in the quarter.
Maurine gave the Wildcats a 42-40 lead off the glass less than a minute later, and K-State took a 48-45 lead into the final period as Zyanna Walker answered Whiting's open 3 in the final minute with a sidestepping jumper of her own.
But the youthful Cougars didn't back down, sticking around and tying the game at 62-62 with a 6-0 run capped by Woolston's layup with 2:52 remaining.
Whiting hit a pair of free throws inside of the final minute to give the Cougars a 64-63 edge. But Sundell and Walker each hit a pair of free throws in the final 40 seconds, and Kansas State survived as a game-tying jumper from Kaylee Smiler fell off the front rim with 2 seconds remaining.
Smiler finished with 9 points and four assists on 3-of-4 shooting.
BYU next travels up the road to Lawrence, Kansas, to face Kansas at 5:30 p.m. MST Wednesday.
