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BYU's Brinley Cannon (left) approaches the basket in a Big 12 women's basketball game against UCF in the Marriott Center on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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BYU's Delaney Gibb (11) attempts a reverse layup in a Big 12 women's basketball game against UCF at the Marriott Center on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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BYU's Amari Whiting (1) goes up for a shot against UCF in a Big 12 women's basketball game at the Marriot Center on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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BYU's Kendra Gilispie (35) battles for a rebound in a Big 12 women's basketball game against UCF in the Marriot Center on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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BYU's Heather Hamson (21) scores between two UCF players in a Big 12 women's basketball game at the Marriott Center on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Kambree Barber (14) greets teammates on the sideline during a Big 12 women's basketball game against UCF in the Marriott Center on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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After breaking a five-game losing streak by getting a victory at Arizona State on Saturday, the BYU women’s basketball team is back to putting marks in the win column.

It wasn’t pretty early or late against last-place UCF — the Cougars got off to a dreadful start in their own gym, missing five straight shots and turning the ball over four times in the first four minutes, then tried to give the game away with four straight turnovers in final two minutes — but held on for a 73-66 Big 12 victory on Wednesday at the Marriott Center.

It was the first time the Cougars have won two games in a row since Dec. 10 and 13, when they beat Utah Valley (76-36) and Washington State (72-57).

BYU led by 11 points with 3:20 to play but got sloppy with the ball again and turnovers resulted in eight straight UCF points to trim the deficit to 67-64 with 59.9 seconds to play. UCF had a 3-point attempt to tie the game bounce off the rim, then Delaney Gibb made a four free throws and Kambree Barber added two more in the final 25 seconds to give the Cougars some breathing room.

Despite the turnovers and the closer-than-expected finish, BYU coach Amber Whiting was a pretty happy camper when she brought freshmen Barber and Brinley Cannon to the post-game news conference.

“I’m gonna sound like a broken record, but I’m really, really proud of these girls,” Whiting said. “We had a lot of people that came to the table and contributed. I know it was a career high night for Bryn and plus the rebounds for Kambree. I love when I look out there and I have three freshmen and a sophomore closing out the game. That’s a good feeling, because that means our program is headed in the right direction.”

Gibb led BYU with 19 points, through she had an off-shooting night (6 of 19 field goals, 3 of 13 from the 3-point line). She did contribute five assists. Cannon was excellent off the bench for the Cougars, finishing with a career-high 13 points on 5 of 6 from the field. Barber, the reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Week, had her second straight double digit rebounding game (11) and Amari Whiting finished with nine points, seven rebounds and five assists.

BYU committed 18 turnovers, which allowed the Golden Knights to earn a 19-4 advantage in points off turnovers. The Cougars partially offset those turnovers with 17 assists on 26 made baskets.

“I do have to say, 65% of our scoring in the last two games has been assisted, and that’s what we preach all the time, is to make sure we’re sharing the ball,” Coach Whiting said. “Good, better, best, and make sure we’re moving it. It’s so fun to coach when it’s like that.”

Kaitlin Peterson, the second-leading scorer in the Big 12 at 21 points a game, topped UCF (8-13 overall, 1-10 Big 12) with 19 but did it the hard way, shooting just 5 of 24 (21%) from the field.

UCF, with a zone defense and a lot of energy, led 11-4 after a 3-point play by Mahogany Chandler-Roberts. The Cougars found a little more offense behind Barber and Cannon, who both made 3-pointers but the home team still trailed 17-14 after one.

Leading scorers Gibb, Emma Calvert and Amari Whiting were a combined 3 of 13 from the field in the first quarter.

Gibb scored on a drive and Kemery Congdon hit a 3-pointer as BYU took a 19-17 lead early in the second quarter, which featured seven lead changes. Gibb made her first 3-pointer for a 27-26 Cougar advantage with 1:28 to play but UCF pulled away 30-27 as the clock wound down. Whiting found Heather Hamson inside for a basket to beat the buzzer and the Cougars trailed 30-29 at halftime.

The Cougars put together a nice offensive third quarter, scoring 23 points and easing into the lead. Gibb made a triple and drove in for a basket for a 34-33 advantage in the first few moments. It was tied at 39 with five minutes remaining when Congdon and Calvert hit back-to-back 3 pointers, giving BYU a 45-39 lead. A highlight play from Whiting, where she blocked a shot on one end and raced to the other for a layup, pushed the Cougars to their largest lead, 52-47.

Cannon converted her second 3-point play of the game for a 57-49 lead early in the fourth and Gibb banged in a 3-pointer, beating the shot clock to make it a nine-point advantage, 60-51, with 6:58 to play.

“I just feel like I don’t really know how I got so open,” Cannon said. “Sometimes I was just like, moving. I’ve been working on my spacing and being in the right place at the right time. I think we’ve done better recently of moving the ball and finding those open players.”

BYU (12-10, 3-8) goes to Waco, Texas, on Saturday to play Baylor at Foster Pavilion. The Bears (19-5th, 9-2) destroyed Houston 92-47 on Wednesday. The Cougars stay in Texas and will play No. 9 TCU in Fort Worth next Tuesday.

“I mean, Baylor and TCU, it doesn’t get any tougher than that, right?” Coach Whiting said. “That’s it, but one game at a time. We tell them we’re going to start in on Baylor tomorrow morning. I know that we beat them here last year, and that was a big win for us, and so I know they’re going to want to make sure that doesn’t happen again. I think if we just stay true to who we are, control what we we can control, share the ball and play our butts off on defense, I think we’re going to be OK.”