Estimated learn time: 3-4 minutes
PROVO — What a distinction two weeks could make.
Simply over two weeks in the past, the BYU ladies’s basketball workforce was coming off a humbling 67-53 road loss to Kansas, when Taiyanna Jackson had a 25-point, 22-rebound double-double and the Jayhawks humbled the Cougars on the glass 47-29.
It was a part of a three-game shedding streak and a 2-8 begin to this system’s Large 12 period that ended with a aggressive however finally fruitless 76-69 loss to No. 23 West Virginia, a loss that prompted head coach Amber Whiting to unload on her workforce in locker room.
Whiting did not reveal an excessive amount of in regards to the postgame assembly, however the coach was visibly annoyed when she met with the media after the loss. Actually, the workforce’s 23 turnovers have been a key sticking level.
However three video games later, the Cougars (15-11, 5-8 Large 12) are driving a lot larger after a shocking 78-66 win over then-No. 18 Baylor and back-to-back road wins over Cincinnati and UCF.
Key to the run has been BYU’s "Large 3" in this system’s all-time rebounding chief Lauren Gustin and the freshmen backcourt tandem of Amari Whiting and Kailey Woolston.
Gustin has averaged 22.0 factors and 17.0 rebounds through the three-game stretch whereas incomes Big 12 player of the week honors, Whiting added 11.6 factors, 6.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists en path to league freshman of the week, and Woolston shot 19-of-32 from the sector for 17.3 factors to associate with 5.5 factors and a couple of.6 assists per recreation through the run.
"I really feel like they’re studying the way to win, and studying the way to win within the Large 12 is totally different than studying the way to win in different conferences," the second-year BYU coach stated. "The Large 12 is hard, particularly once you go on the street and play in opposition to these actually good groups. We’re nonetheless actually younger on the guard line, and as of late, each Amari and Woolston have made some actually good selections."
Whiting pointed to a handful of moments when Amari Whiting (the coach’s daughter) pressured a steal in opposition to Baylor. The Cougars have been main every time, however slightly than drive straight to the rim and attempt to power a shot, the freshman slightly pulled up and ran a play out of the half-court offense.
"She understands we do not at all times have to go quick, however generally we simply have to make use of our time appropriately and to our profit," the coach stated. "It is only a lot higher determination making."
Now because the Cougars put together to host Kansas (14-10, 7-6 Large 12) because the Jayhawks journey their very own four-game win streak, the rematch is private for Gustin, who was held to 10 factors and 10 rebounds inside Allen Fieldhouse.
"It was positively a tough recreation for us. Their large woman had an excellent recreation. I am positively trying ahead enjoying them in opposition to on Saturday, particularly at our place," Gustin stated. "I am excited to get one other likelihood at them. I believe we’ll come out extra ready and able to go proper from the tip."
It is private for Gustin, however she wasn’t the one participant who had a tough night time in Lawrence, Kansas. The Cougars by no means led in opposition to Kansas, have been outscored 36-20 within the paint, and gave the Jayhawks 17 offensive rebounds for 17 second-chance factors whereas capturing simply 34.5% from the sector and committing 14 turnovers.
"I really feel like defensively, we have been simply being bounced all over the place," Whiting stated. "That goes again to asserting our will on protection and offense. I believe clearly Jackson was large, however I really feel like Lauren goes to take this recreation very private. She needs to make a press release herself; she wasn’t very pleased with herself final time, and she or he holds herself to a excessive commonplace, so I am excited to see what she will carry."
