PROVO, Utah –
BYU women’s basketball opened up the 2024-25 season with a 105-37 win over Division II Westminster in the Cougars’ exhibition opener Wednesday night at the Marriott Center.
https://twitter.com/byuwbb/status/1851456742707863801
The Cougars have won 12 straight exhibition games and haven’t lost in ten seasons (the most recent exhibition loss coming on in the lone drop to Westminster 54-59 on Sat. Nov. 1, 2014).
Amari Whiting posted 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field, along with six rebounds and one assist. Delaney Gibb (18) and Kemery Cogdon (16) would also score in double figures on a combined 13-of-22 from the field.
Teuila Nawahine led the Griffins with 18 points, and Maia Rhay added nine points and two rebounds.
Here are my three stars from the BYU women’s basketball win.
Amari Whiting
Amari Whiting, a 5-foot-10 combo guard from Burley, Idaho, joined BYU as one of the nation’s most versatile players.
Whiting was ranked No. 33 overall in ESPN’s Top 100 for the 2023 recruiting class and brought impressive on-ball defensive pressure and adaptability as a freshman last season.
The true sophomore [Whiting] showcased why she was a four-star recruit Wednesday night against Westminster.
Even if a game doesn’t count, the young star showed her improvements from last year. Players, as they develop in college, athletics state, “The game starts to slow down,” and it looked as if the Whiting didn’t even attempt one three-pointer.
All of her 20 of her 22 points were scored in the paint.
Delaney Gibb
The Candian from Raymond, Alberta, was nothing short of spectacular.
Gibb added five assists and three rebounds to go along with her 18 points. With Kaylee Smiler having graduated, someone will need to step into that role, and from the looks of Wednesday night’s game, it looks as if Gibb is going to get the nod going forward.
Kemery Congdon
Congdon is a redshirt senior from Sandy, Utah, who comes to BYU after stops at Utah from 2019-22 and California from 2022-24.
The local Utah native fired out the gate, making her first five shots. Calm, cool, and collective was her play on the court. Every team needs a veteran leader who’s been around the block, and Kemery Congdon looks as poised as ever.
Here are the takeaways we learned.
Potential depth this season
Depth was an issue last season for Amber Whiting’s rotation.
It doesn’t look like that will be the case this season. All 12 players that played in Wednesday’s exhibition all scored and got meaningful minutes.
Whiting returns five players, but only who will be active this season. Redshirt junior Ari Mackey-Williams will miss the 2024-25 season again due to an ACL tear suffered in fall practice.
Five freshmen from the 2024 class were added to the roster: Delaney Gibb, Kambree Barber, Brinley Cannon, Sarah Bartholomew, and walk-on Naia Tanuavasa.
The potential for these freshmen is high despite having not played a Division I basketball team yet. They are going to be good.
Three transfers were added: Kendra Gillispie, Hattie Ogden, and Marya Hudgins.
Hudgins has previous experience in playing against the Cougars dating back to the West Coast Conference Days.
The junior from Aurora, Colorado, scored 7.6 points per game over two seasons with the Broncos, shooting 39% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range.
Gillispe has previous Big 12 experience with a stop at Baylor, who BYU upset last season 78-66 at the Marriott Center on Feb. 7th.
SCORE UPDATE:
Q3 | BYU 77 – WESTMINSTER 32 pic.twitter.com/vXvUwkX66R— BYU Women's Hoops (@byuwbb) October 30, 2024
Starters for the 2024-25 season
Amari Whiting, Delaney Gibb, Kemery Martin, Marya Hudgins, and Emma Calvert started for the Cougars Wednesday night.
Amber Whiting didn’t comment if this would be the starting line going for the 2024-25 season. However, if it indeed is, then the ceiling is high for this team. The size of Amari Whiting, Delaney Gibb, and Kemery Congdon will give other Big 12 fits.
In the Big 12 play last season, guards will be crucial in the season and come tournament time if this trio puts things together as the season goes on. This could be a mini big three. The potential is high for all three players on the court at the same as three guards combined for 55 points.
Marya Hudgins and Emma Calvert played their roles as well, combining for 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting.
The starters combined for 70 points on 63% shooting. Last year, the team averaged 65.4 points per game on 43.4% shooting, not to mention the bench production, which added 35 points.
Safe to say anytime you drop 100 points, even in an exhibition game, it’s a good night for your team. A lot to build off of for this BYU team going forward.
Scrimmage against San Francisco and ‘Calling card’
BYU women’s basketball had a secret scrimmage against San Francisco. “We didn’t play very good against San Francisco, and it was out defense that was lacking”, said coach Amber Whiting. “This last week we really dialed into what we wanted and what we needed to. I feel like we set the tone. That’s our calling card. We have to bring that physciality and toughness every night.”
Amber Whiting has been on the record of how important the teams defense is, and that her programs offense transitions from how well they play defensively.
Twenty six turnover were forced of the Griffins which lead to 34 points for the Cougars.
Freshman Maia RhayAmari had a tough night in her first exhibition game as she guarded by non other than Amari Whiting. Whiting had five steals on the night and picked Rhay’s pocket for threes of them. Two of those steals Whiting turned into lay-ups and the last she would be fouled for a trip to the free throw line.
Health of Kendra Gillispie
The health of Kendra Gillispie will be a factor going forward.
The 6-foot-2 senior from Oklahoma City didn’t play in Wednesday’s exhibit about the Griffins.
No comment was made in the postgame presser following the exhibition game.
