BYU Aims to Move On from Heartbreak at Big 12 Tournament
PROVO, Utah – The BYU women’s basketball team heads into the Big 12 Tournament after a tough loss to rival Utah last Saturday.
With time expiring in overtime, Utah’s Maty Wilke sank a half-court shot, giving the Utes a 76-73 victory over BYU.
The defeat concluded BYU’s regular season with a 13-16 record, and the team is entering the postseason on a four-game losing streak.
“I spoke to the team after the game and told them, let it sting, but don’t carry it into Monday,” said BYU head coach Amber Whiting. “Then our athletic director came in, and he was very clear, saying, ‘Don’t leave this locker room until you can let this game go.’ I really appreciated that because it’s an emotional finish, especially with it being a rival game.”
Despite the struggles following a big win over Oklahoma State on February 15, Whiting’s team is now focusing on the postseason.
The Big 12 Tournament offers BYU a chance to turn things around with a potential strong finish to the season.
“We have a few players dealing with bumps and bruises from the Utah game, so we’re just making sure to maximize our practice time,” Whiting said. “But I feel like they were focused and ready to go.”
BYU enters the Big 12 Tournament as the 12th seed in the 16-team bracket. The Cougars must win five consecutive games to secure the automatic NCAA Tournament bid from the Big 12.
BYU faces UCF in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament.
Their first task is to take on No. 13-seed UCF at 10 a.m. (MST)/11 a.m. (CST) on ESPN+ on Wednesday.
BYU defeated UCF 73-66 in their only regular-season matchup on February 5 in Provo.
“We need to limit their offensive rebounds since they thrive on those,” Whiting said regarding the matchup with UCF. “We have to protect the ball and avoid giving them easy scoring chances. We also need to start strong; we’ve had a few games where we didn’t come out strong, so if we’re aggressive from the start, I think we’ll be in a good spot.”
Delaney Gibb Key to BYU’s Success
If BYU is to make a deep run in Kansas City, they will need freshman sensation Delaney Gibb to lead the way.
Gibb made history as only the second freshman in Big 12 history to win at least 10 Freshman of the Week awards during the regular season. She scored a career-high 36 points in the loss to Utah on Saturday.
The 5-foot-10 freshman is averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 46% from the field this season.
If BYU can defeat UCF, they will face No. 5-seed Kansas State on Thursday.
No. 12 BYU vs. No. 13 UCF
First Round, 2025 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship
Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Tip-Off: 10 a.m. (MST)/11 a.m. (CST)
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Location: Kan
sas City, Missouri
Venue: T-Mobile Center
