Maty Wilke drains halfcourt shot to lift Utah to 76-73 win over BYU in OT

SALT LAKE CITY — At shootaround before every game, the Utah women's basketball team plays a game called "Utes win."

No team can win that pregame session unless it hits a halfcourt shot. Talk about a fortuitous game for the Utes.

With the game locked up 73-73 with 18.6 seconds left in overtime, BYU freshman phenom Delaney Gibb wanted the ball in her hand. Her performance in regulation more than merited her desire.

As the clock neared zero, Gibb drove to the basket looking to be the hero for the Cougars. But as the freshman drove to the rim, she lost the ball and it fell into the hands of junior guard Maty Wilke, who immediately sprinted up the court.

And with a heave at midcourt at the buzzer, Wilke's shot banked in to seal a 76-73 win for the Utes, cementing her name in rivalry lore for years to come.

Her teammates immediately tackled her to the ground and celebrated an emotional and anxiety-inducing game to closeout the regular season.

"Low key, we practiced it," senior Kennady McQueen joked after the game. "But no, it looked great. ... As soon as it left her hands, I said, 'that's online,' and then it went in. Just screaming, and it was awesome — tackled her. It was awesome. What a fantastic ending.

"What a perfect ending at the Huntsman Center in five years," she added. "I mean, I couldn't have predicted it any other way. Of course, it had to end like that."

Wilke only finished with 5 points in a tough shooting night for both teams, but that final heave was all that mattered in the end for the Utes (22-7, 13-5 Big 12) as the team now prepares for the Big 12 Tournament next week.

For BYU (13-16, 4-14 Big 12) head coach Amber Whiting, it was just another one of those close games that her team has been on the other end so many times this season. But the third-year coach credited her team for staying committed throughout the season and making it a fight to the bitter end.

"What a way to end that game, for real," she said. "I was proud of my women for battling, really proud of them. But, I mean, hats off to Utah; they brought it, too, and that's what this game is supposed to be in this rival. It was entertaining, for sure."

Utah head coach Gavin Petersen said he thought Gibb traveled and he was going to call a timeout and advance the ball with the turnover, but the clock stayed running.

"But because the clock was running, I'm like I'm just going to let it go, let's see what happens," he said. "And thank God I trusted my gut, because I could have botched that one."

Utah led for a majority of the game until BYU got hot in the fourth quarter and put pressure on the home team to finish strong on senior day. The Utes controlled a 10-point lead before the Cougars answered the call.

With 59.3 seconds left to play, BYU's Kemery Congdon drained a 3-pointer to cap off a 9-0 BYU run to tie the game up 57-57, forcing Utes head coach Gavin Petersen to call a timeout. Out of the break, Gibb picked off a Utah pass and went coast-to-coast for the go-ahead layup with 55.7 seconds left.

And then Lauren Davenport made Utah sweat with 22.3 seconds left when she drained her only 3-pointer of the game to give the Cougars a 62-59 lead. But Utah's Gianna Kneepkens answered the call on the other end to hit a 3-pointer to tie up the game again.

BYU's final shot in regulation missed as the two teams went to overtime.

The two teams traded baskets in overtime, with neither team able to really separate from one another, until Gibb attempted to make the winning play for the Cougars.

"We give her the green light for a reason, and I love that she just likes to — she's a gamer, she just likes to do that," Whiting said of her freshman. "As far as that last possession goes, the game doesn't come down to that for me, like it can't."

To her credit, Gibb was a big reason for BYU keeping the game close. The freshman, who is a lock to win the Big 12 freshman of the year honor, finished the road contest with a game-high 36 points — including going 5-of-7 from 3-point range — while adding 10 rebounds and five assists in the loss.

Congdon was the only other player in double figures for the Cougars, finishing with 14 points on a day when BYU shot 39% from the field.

Maye Toure led the Utes with 24 points and 14 rebounds to dominate the post, while Kneepkens, who only had 2 points going into the fourth quarter, added 20 points — including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line — six rebounds and four assists in the win.

In her final game at the Huntsman Center, Jenna Johnson contributed 11 points, including three made 3-pointers, six rebounds and three assists.

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