Pulsipher lights up from 3, leads Cougars to season-opening win over Utah Valley


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PROVO — Something clicked for BYU shooter Makenzi Morrison Pulsipher during the Cougars' trip to the West Coast Conference Tournament title last March.

And it hasn't stopped since.

Pulsipher had a career-high 27 points, including six 3-pointers, Friday to help the Cougars open the regular season with a 78-62 win over in-state foe Utah Valley at the Marriott Center.

"I'm just taking what the defense gives me," said Pulsipher, who shot 6-of-10 from 3-point range. "I struggled at the beginning of last year as teams adjusted, and I had ups and downs with getting my shot off. But I think once you realize that teams will play you differently, you just have to adjust.

"I'm a shooter, but I have to be unselfish. We're all great players, and if I'm not getting it, somebody else can."

Pulsipher and the Cougars were plenty unselfish, pouring in 23 assists on 26 made shots from the field. Point guard Kylie Maeda had a game-high seven assists, Cassie Broadhead added five helpers and Lexi Eaton Rydalch added 19 points and four assists for the Cougars (1-0).

But it was anything but easy early on.

"For us, when we get fouls called and the team goes to the line, it takes us out of it," Pulsipher said. "We're a fastbreak team that likes to push it and pressure. When we can't do that, it slows us down a bit. Once we adjusted to it, we were just fine."

Sam Loggins had a team-high 15 points on the night for Utah Valley's women's basketball team in a 78-62 loss at BYU on Friday night. (Photo: Linsey McClain, UVU Athletics)
Sam Loggins had a team-high 15 points on the night for Utah Valley's women's basketball team in a 78-62 loss at BYU on Friday night. (Photo: Linsey McClain, UVU Athletics)

Mariah Seals scored seven of her 13 points in the first quarter as Utah Valley (0-1) took a 16-15 edge over the Cougars after the first 10 minutes.

But Rydalch came alive in the second quarter, scoring eight of her 13 first-half points in the period as BYU used an 11-2 run to take control of the game and pulled ahead 36-24 at halftime. Sophomore forward Amanda Wayment pulled down five of her career-high seven rebounds in the quarter, and BYU scored 13 second-chance points to overcome the Wolverines' advantage in the post.

"They really turned the corner well, with all those handoffs and fast picks," BYU coach Jeff Judkins said of Utah Valley. "It's hard to guard because it comes so quickly. They just put their heads down and drive."

Sam Loggins led the Wolverines with 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks, and Seals finished with 13 points, three assists and two boards. Teammate Taylor Gordon added 10 points and three assists for Utah Valley.

The second half continued the same frenetic pace as the second quarter for BYU. Micaelee Orton knocked down back-to-back shots to pull ahead 43-29 with 7:57 left in the third, and Pulsipher hit four treys in a span of just under five minutes, including triples from the top of the key on back-to-back possessions, to give the Cougars a 59-36 advantage with just 2:22 left in the third quarter.

"Juddy switched up the lineups a lot with different rotations, and with different players, different things open up," Pulsipher said. "When Lexi is in, the 3 opens up as they respect her drive.

"I have to be moving as well, and be able to read that, so it's that team effort of adjusting to each other as we look for those open spots."

Freshman Jasmine Moody added eight points and three rebounds for the Cougars, and newcomer Kalani Purcell added six points, seven rebounds and three assists in her first formal game with the Cougars following two standout seasons at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. But the junior picked up her third foul early in the first half and only played 19 minutes of her regular-season debut.

"She gets a lot of cheap fouls, and I think she's not used to it yet," Judkins said of Purcell, a native of New Zealand. "It hurts us a bit because it changes a lot of the rotation. When teams are quick like that, Kalani is fine at the four. It definitely causes some issues, which is why it's nice to have (Kristine Fuller Nielson)."

The Cougars start a two-game road trip next Thursday at Oklahoma. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST.

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