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BYU's Kaylee Smiler (11) celebrates making a 3-point shot during a women's college basketball game against Carroll College at the Marriott Center on Wednesday, November 23, 2022.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU women's basketball coach Amber Whiting gives instructions to her team during a game against Carroll College at the Marriott Center on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Lauren Gustin (12) takes a shot against Carroll College in a women's college basketball game at the Marriott Center on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU women’s basketball head coach Amber Whiting recorded her first career win at home as the Cougars defeated Carroll College 71-47 at the Marriott Center on Wednesday afternoon.

“We made some adjustments at halftime and the girls really executed them,” Whiting said. “We’ve been trying to really dial in to the execution part and I was really happy they did that. They just knocked down shots and they looked like they were in rhythm.”

BYU shot 49 percent from the field for the game and 47 percent from 3-point range. The Cougars also outrebounded Carroll 41-22 and forced 11 turnovers.

Point guard Nani Falatea was a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball, leading BYU with 17 points, while also pitching in five rebounds, tying a career-high six assists and recording a career-high with four steals.

Forward Lauren Gustin extended her nation-leading double-double streak with a sixth consecutive on Wednesday night. Gustin brought down 10 boards to go along with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

Kaylee Smiler added 12 points, including three 3-pointers, while Rose Bubakar and Arielle Mackey-Williams recorded nine and seven points, respectively. Bubakar also pulled down seven boards.

The Fighting Saints were led by Jamie Pickens’ 17 points and six rebounds.

The Cougars led 15-8 after one quarter. Carroll narrowed the BYU lead to three at 17-14 after a flurry of turnovers for the home team, part of eight giveaways on the half. The Cougar offense got back on the board with a 3-point play from Gustin after Mackey-Williams saved an errant pass on the boundary and delivered the ball to the assisting Amanda Barcello.

Carroll would come roaring back within one at 21-20 following a 6-0 run and three-minute BYU scoring drought with two minutes left until halftime.

Smiler and Falatea took the lid off the basket to end the half with Smiler finding the bottom of the net from deep and Falatea scoring on a driving lay-in to put BYU up 28-22 at the half.

The BYU offense found its groove in the third quarter, shooting 73 percent from the field including 4-of-6 from distance and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. The Cougars outscored the visitors 26-12 in the third to take control of the game.

Smiler jumpstarted the Cougar attack with a four-point play that gave BYU its first double-digit lead of the game at 32-22. Gustin and Bubakar would then team-up to help the Cougars take 40-28 lead as the forwards exchanged scores and assists in the post on three-straight possessions.

A string of 3-pointers from Falatea, Smiler and Mackey-Williams further ballooned the BYU lead to 17 at 49-32. Free-throw makes from Bubakar and Mackey-Williams gave the Cougars a game-high lead of 20 at 54-34 to end the quarter.

BYU (2-4) remains at home for a Saturday showdown with Ball State on Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. MST.

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