The BYU Cougars women’s basketball team advanced to the next round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament after defeating the Houston Cougars 76-66 on Wednesday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
BYU, seeded ninth, overcame a slow start by scoring only 29 points in the first half but surged in the third quarter with 27 points, outpacing Houston by 12. Lara Rohkohl led this effort with eight points during that period.
Four BYU players scored in double digits. Olivia Hamlin led with 16 points, while Delaney Gibb and Rohkohl each contributed 15. Sydney Benally added 14 points. Together, these four accounted for more than half of BYU’s total points.
Rohkohl finished just short of a double-double, adding eight rebounds to her 15 points along with three assists and a steal. This marked her twelfth game this season scoring in double figures; BYU has won all those games. Hamlin also recorded five rebounds, two steals and two assists.
The game began with both teams trading early baskets before defensive play dominated much of the first quarter. Ten turnovers from Houston resulted in only two points for them, leaving BYU ahead by one at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, scoring was limited until Rohkohl made a layup assisted by Benally. A series of runs from both teams kept it close, and Houston tied the score at halftime.
BYU started strong after halftime as Brinley Cannon hit an early three-pointer and Rohkohl followed up with a layup. The team then went on a key run late in the third quarter to build a nine-point lead, capitalizing on Houston turnovers.
Houston responded early in the fourth quarter with an 11-2 run but could not overtake BYU. Key baskets from Gibb and Benally helped maintain BYU’s advantage. Hamlin sparked an important 8-0 run late in the game to secure their win.
With this victory, BYU will face No. 8-seeded Utah on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. MST as part of their continued participation in the Big 12 tournament. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and available via radio coverage on BYU Radio.
