LAS VEGAS — Paisley Johnson contributed a stellar stat line during the BYU women’s basketball crew’s sixty-eight-sixty-three wins over Pepperdine on Monday in the West Coast Conference semifinal round. Still, those stats only begin to tell of the sophomore’s effect. Johnson completed with 20 factors scored and five assists; however, her energy and defense at some point in the second half sparked the Cougars’ return from being down as many as 13 factors in the course of the 0.33 zone.
Down forty-nine-36 with five:44 left within the 1/3 area, Johnson changed significantly in assisting engineer a 14-3 run to finish up, after which cut the Waves’ lead to simply fifty-two-50 entering the fourth. “What you saw today is the type of what this team is set,” said BYU coach Jeff Judkins.
“We’ve had a few downs and simply come back doing the little things. This team is family, and they believe every different thing and realize if they stick together, they could do whatever they need.” Regarding any schematic switches or phrases shared to show matters around, BYU gamers and coaches insisted none had been essential. “I don’t assume it is necessarily what become said, but the self-belief I saw in (Judkins’) eyes — the confidence he had for us,” Johnson said. Brenna Chase began the run with a made 3-pointer, accompanied by more than one three-factor play transformed by Johnson and Jasmine Moody earlier than Johnson ended the sector with a 3-factor basket.
They did not let up coming into the fourth region until the last buzzer sounded. A brief 6-2 run to begin the fourth quarter gave BYU the lead at fifty-six-fifty-four, a lead it wouldn’t surrender again. As stated, Johnson had a massive effect on the offensive stop, but it changed her defense, perhaps the most critical contributor to the comeback. The sophomore protections can draw two huge charging fouls but, more importantly, close down West Coast Conference Player of the Year Yasmine.
Robinson-Bacote to a single factor after she torched the Cougars for 18 in the first half. “They had been face-guarding and making it genuinely hard to get the ball,” Robinson-Bacote stated. “Credit to them for no longer letting me get looks, however, additional touches. They did a surely proper process.” Johnson drew
individual shielding coverage on Robinson-Bacote, saying, “Juddy positioned me on her in the second 1/2, and I simply determined that she wasn’t going to touch the ball — just deny her.” Also, gambling massive became BYU freshman guard Shaylee Gonzales, who finished with 17 factors and eight rebounds to steer the latter class. Getting rebounds became key to the turnaround within the 2nd 1/2, with the Waves grabbing 18 offensive rebounds in the first 1/2. “It’s not just the post gamers. The guards should find a frame as
well,” Gonzales stated. “Coming out in the 2d half, we determined we have been going to do that, and it honestly helped us get the lead and take us to a win.” With the win, BYU advances to the WCC championship, wherein it will face Gonzaga for the 0.33 time this season after taking two tight wins over the No. 1 seed during the typical season. “Gonzaga might be a large assignment.
They’re an excellent team, and they’ve been right here,” Judkins said. “They misplaced two gamers who are huge pieces of the pie; however, they’ll determine it. They continually do. They have a remarkable education.” In all likelihood, those two gamers misplaced are guards Laura Stockton and Jill Townsend. Injuries apart, the
Cougars relish the possibility of proving themselves all over again in recreation with a view to tip-off at 2 p.m. MDT. “They’re excited to play us. However, we’re excited too, no longer to win the convention, to reveal to the nation that the first video games were not flukes,” Johnson stated.
