The shrill of victory: Pulsipher leads BYU women’s hoops to win over Weber State on Kids Day


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PROVO — Weber State’s Emily Drake had just drained a 3-pointer to pull the Wildcats within four, 65-61, of a road upset over the BYU women’s basketball team with 2 minutes, 18 seconds left.

The comeback was on.

And then an envelope of noise descended on the Marriott Center. The video board marquee read “Get loud,” and the 5,046 fans in attendance took note. But it wasn’t a normal 5,000-plus crowd in Provo; Wednesday was the Cougars’ annual Kids Day, and a piercing shrill reverberated to the building’s rafters as thousands of grade-school children screamed at the top of their lungs.

“I told the girls I have only heard a noise that loud once, and it was in New Mexico,” BYU coach Jeff Judkins said. “That was loud.”

It also worked.

The Cougars forced a pair of turnovers and an air ball, and held on for a 73-64 win in the in-state series Wednesday in a game that tipped off at 11 a.m.

“Full credit to the kids; it had nothing to do with us,” said BYU guard Makenzi Pulsipher, who finished with a game-high 22 points to go along with four assists. “It literally hurt. I needed both my hands (to cover the screams). I can’t even believe it.”

Cassie Broadhead added 12 points and eight assists, and Kalani Purcell added 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for BYU (5-3). Kristine Nielson supplied 11 points, four rebounds and two assists for the Cougars, who shot 46 percent from the field and made 10 3-pointers.

Reigning Big Sky player of the week Drake scored 14 of her team-high 15 points in the second half to lead Weber State. Deeshyra Thomas and Judge Memorial product Kailie Quinn each added 14 points for the Wildcats (6-2).

The Cougars made five 3-pointers to just two from inside the arc in the first quarter, but couldn’t shake the Wildcats’ stingy defense. Quinn hit a triple from the right elbow to tie the game at 16-16 midway through the quarter, and Weber State trailed just 21-19 after the opening stanza.

BYU went to a zone defense in the second quarter and forced four turnovers to fuel a 12-2 run capped by a layup from first-time starter Shalae Salmon to go up 33-23 with 2:15 left in the quarter.

“We ran a back-line runner (against Weber State’s zone), so any shot I got came from our guards,” said Pulsipher, who hit two 3-pointers off BYU’s ball movement. “That offense is just take what you can get.”

Pulsipher scored her game-high 13th point of the half to give the Cougars a 38-26 lead with 1:07 left in the half, but the Wildcats ended the quarter with a 5-0 spurt to give BYU a 38-31 advantage in the locker room.

“I was glad it finally opened up,” said Pulsipher, who averages 13.1 points per game but went just 2-of-10 for four points against Oregon State last week. “I’ve just been working with coach Ray.

“For a shooter, there’s nothing better than shooting against zone.”

Weber State put up points in the third quarter, but barely treaded water with the lead. Freshman Brenna Chase finished off Broadhead’s fast-break with 21 seconds left in the third quarter, and her and-one free throw gave BYU a 57-48 lead ahead of the final quarter.

The Cougars didn’t score for nearly five minutes at the start of the fourth quarter, but Weber State couldn’t take advantage in missing four-straight shots. Broadhead’s driving layup with 4:56 snapped a 4:30 drought and gave the Cougars a 61-53 lead.

Every time the Wildcats tried to rally, BYU would get a stop when the lead trickled to 4-5 points. Often, that came with a nod or a look from veterans like Purcell, Pulsipher and Broadhead.

“With the way Juddie was rotating, it was harder when some freshmen came in,” Purcell said. “We just tell them to settle down, bring the ball up the court, and if the shot’s open take it. If not, just move the ball.

“We don’t always need to score right away.”

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Sean Walker

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