The BYU Cougars remain perfect this season after a close 70–69 road win over the Montana Lady Griz on Wednesday night.
Marya Hudgins led the way with a career-high 23 points, going 7-of-15 from the field and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line, along with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
The Cougars were in a tough spot with 3:37 remaining, down 69–64, but they locked in defensively and didn’t let Montana score again. Hudgins and Arielle Mackey-Williams put in six straight points to take the lead, and Hudgins sank the go-ahead free throw with 1:13 remaining.
Other strong performances came from Olivia Hamlin, who scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Lara Rohkohl, who added 10 points and nine boards. The lineup was short — BYU suited up just nine players for the game — but they still found a way.
This kind of win says a lot about the Cougars. It’s one thing to score big at home, but it’s another to fight through a tight road game and still come out on top.
Coach Lee Cummard said the team “fought really hard,” and called it a good learning experience for players who haven't played true road games in college yet
For Hudgins, the game is a major milestone. Setting a new career high gives her confidence and gives the team another reliable scoring option moving forward.
Next up for BYU is a home game on Saturday when they host the Weber State Wildcats at the Marriott Center.
The Wildcats will be coming in ready to make a statement, especially since they’ll be facing a 5–0 BYU team.
For the Cougars, the key will be getting back to basics: keeping the defensive focus they showed late in the Montana game, sharing the ball, and continuing to ride Hudgins’ momentum while keeping the rest of the lineup involved.
If the Cougars bring the same energy at home that they showed on the road, they have a great chance to stay unbeaten and build confidence heading into the tougher parts of their schedule.