PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s basketball enters the Big 12 Tournament after a heartbreaking loss to rival Utah last Saturday.
Utah’s Maty Wilke made a half-court shot as time expired in overtime, sealing a 76-73 victory over BYU.
The defeat ended BYU’s regular season with a 13-16 record, marking their fourth consecutive loss heading into the postseason.
“I told the team to let the loss burn but not carry it into Monday,” said BYU head coach Amber Whiting. “Our AD also came in and told them not to leave the locker room until they could let it go, which I appreciated. It’s tough to lose to a rival that way.”
Despite the tough losses following a breakthrough win against Oklahoma State on February 15, BYU must now focus on the postseason.
The Big 12 Tournament offers a chance for BYU to turn things around with a strong run.
“We have some players banged up from the Utah game, so we’re making the most of practice,” Whiting said. “But I feel like the team is locked in and ready.”
BYU holds the 12-seed in the 16-team tournament and would need to win five games to secure an automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
BYU faces UCF in the opening round
The Cougars’ first challenge is against No. 13-seed UCF on Wednesday at 10 a.m. (MST) on ESPN+.
BYU defeated UCF 73-66 in their only meeting this season on February 5 in Provo.
“We need to limit their offensive rebounds and take care of the ball,” Whiting said. “Starting strong and being aggressive will be key.”
Delaney Gibb leads BYU’s hopes
Freshman Delaney Gibb will be crucial if BYU hopes to make a deep run.
Gibb became the second freshman in Big 12 history to win 10 Freshman of the Week awards. She scored a career-high 36 points against Utah on Saturday.
The 5-foot-10 guard averages 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 46% from the field this season.
If BYU defeats 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: Kansas City, Missouri
Venue: T-Mobile Center
