FULLERTON -- Up by two points with under a minute remaining in the game, the BYU women’s basketball team used a crucial block by junior Coriann Wood and a Kristen Riley offensive rebound to seal a victory over the Cal-State Fullerton Titans, 75-72, Saturday night at the Titan Gym.

“We did a good job on both offense and defense down the stretch to win the game,” said BYU women’s basketball head coach Jeff Judkins. “I was really proud of our free throw shooting tonight – we made them when we needed them most.”

BYU was led by junior guard Mindy Nielson who scored 24 points in the game, including a crucial basket and two free throws in the final minute, to go along with four assists. Her 24 points was a season high.

Also having a career night was Wood, whose 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 3-for-5 from behind the arc proved to be a season and career high. She also had 10 rebounds in the game, marking her first career double-double as a Cougar.

The Cougars improve to 6-3 on the year and have won every game this year in which they have scored more than 70 points. They also improved to 3-2 on the road this season. Alexis Kaufusi poured in 12 points while Jazmine Foreman and Haley Hall contributed eight and six points, respectively.

“Several players made big shots in the crucial moments of the game to help us win,” Judkins said.

Down by three points midway through the second half, the Cougars managed to pull ahead on a big bucket from Riley and a trey from Wood. The lead was overtaken by the Titans, who pulled ahead 63-62 with three minutes remaining. A Foreman layup and another huge three-pointer from Wood moved the Cougars past the Titans 67-65 with 1:05 remaining. BYU then managed to convert 5-of-7 free throws in the last minute to seal the victory.

The Titans were paced by center Megan Richardson’s 24 points and Lyndsey Grove’s fifteen.

The Cougars got off to a shaky start in the opening half as the Titans jumped to an early 13-7 lead. BYU kept it close throughout the half, never allowing more than a seven-point lead and gradually closing the margin to go into halftime only down by one point, 28-29. The Cougars are now 1-2 when trailing at halftime.

Kaufusi and Nielsen repeatedly converted big buckets in the closing moments of the half to keep BYU in the game.

BYU shot 11-for-24 in the half and had 14 turnovers, creating 10 points off turnovers for CS-Fullerton. The Cougars dominated in the paint, scoring 18 points in the first half, but on the defensive end allowed eight offensive rebounds to the Titans. BYU ended the game with 22 turnovers.

BYU will next play at Utah State on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 5 p.m. MT.

Official Basketball Box Score
Brigham Young vs Cal State Fullerton
12/12/09 5:00 pm at Fullerton, CA (Titan Gym)
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VISITORS: Brigham Young 6-3 Overall
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
35 RILEY, Kristen...... f  2-6    0-0    0-2    3  4  7   3   4  2  1  0  0  16
45 MOEAKI, Keilani..... f  2-4    1-1    0-0    0  1  1   0   5  0  5  0  1  10
03 FOREMAN, Jazmine.... g  1-2    1-1    5-6    1  0  1   2   8  2  4  0  0  29
22 NIELSON, Mindy...... g  9-15   2-3    4-4    2  4  6   2  24  4  3  2  1  37
33 HALL, Haley......... g  2-8    0-4    2-4    0  4  4   1   6  5  3  0  1  36
10 KAUFUSI, Alexis.....    5-7    0-0    2-2    3  3  6   2  12  0  3  1  0  21
13 JUDKINS, Jaime......    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   1   0  0  1  0  0  10
21 BATES, Stephanie....    0-1    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   5
23 WOOD, Coriann.......    6-10   3-5    1-1    2  8 10   4  16  2  2  1  0  31
32 PETERSON, Dani......    0-2    0-1    0-0    0  1  1   1   0  0  0  0  0   5
   TEAM................                         2  2  4
   Totals..............   27-55   7-16  14-19  13 28 41  16  75 15 22  4  3 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-24 45.8%   2nd Half: 16-31 51.6%   Game: 49.1%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  0-4   0.0%   2nd Half:  7-12 58.3%   Game: 43.8%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  6-9  66.7%   2nd Half:  8-10 80.0%   Game: 73.7%    3
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HOME TEAM: Cal State Fullerton 3-6 Overall
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
34 BREITE, Jenna....... f  1-1    0-0    0-2    0  4  4   2   2  0  0  0  0  22
04 Scott, Jasmine...... g  3-11   1-5    1-1    3  1  4   3   8  2  1  0  1  28
20 Peters, Britt....... g  3-9    1-5    0-0    2  2  4   2   7  1  3  0  2  31
23 RICHARDSON, Megan... g  8-18   0-1    8-9    1  2  3   1  24  1  2  0  1  32
32 GROVE, Lyndsey...... g  4-9    3-5    4-4    0  3  3   0  15  3  0  0  0  27
03 Crisp, Alicya.......    2-5    1-1    4-4    1  1  2   3   9  0  0  0  0  12
10 RICHIE, Ashley......    2-6    1-3    0-0    0  1  1   4   5  0  2  0  0  20
14 AVILA, Katie........    0-1    0-0    0-0    1  0  1   1   0  1  1  0  0  11
21 WILLIAMS, Jahne.....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  1  1   1   0  0  0  0  0   3
30 OLIVIER, Mya........    1-2    0-0    0-0    1  0  1   2   2  0  0  0  2  14
   TEAM................                         2  2  4   1
   Totals..............   24-62   7-20  17-20  11 17 28  20  72  8  9  0  6 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-32 31.3%   2nd Half: 14-30 46.7%   Game: 38.7%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  2-7  28.6%   2nd Half:  5-13 38.5%   Game: 35.0%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  7-10 70.0%   2nd Half: 10-10 100 %   Game: 85.0%    2
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Officials: Cathi Cornell, Debbie Kotani, Richard Waters
Technical fouls: Brigham Young-TEAM. Cal State Fullerton-None.
Attendance: 145
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
Brigham Young.................   28   47  -   75
Cal State Fullerton...........   29   43  -   72

Riding a two-game winning streak and a 5-2 overall record, the BYU women’s basketball team plays two road games this week. The team will take a short trip to Ogden to play at Weber State (4-4) on Wed. Dec. 9 at 5 p.m. They then go to California to battle CS Fullerton (3-3) on Sat. Dec. 12. That game tips off at 5 p.m. PT.

BYU Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

03 Jazmine Foreman G 5-5 Jr 8-3 3.0

22 Mindy Nielson G 5-10 Jr 10.9 3.9

33 Haley Hall G 5-4 Jr 8.6 2.1

45 Keilani Moeaki F 6-2 Jr 6.0 2.0

35 Kristen Riley C 6-3 So 8.4 3.9

Off the Bench

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

23 Coriann Wood F 6-1 Jr 8.4 5.9

10 Alexis Kaufusi F 6-1 Fr 7.7 6.6

32 Dani Peterson F 6-1 So 5.1 3.4

13 Jaime Judkins G 5-6 Sr 3.4 1.6

04 Kim Parker G 5-11 Fr 3.4 2.4

01 Jenteal Jackson G 5-7 So 1.5 0.8

21 Stephanie Buhler-Bates F 6-1 So 1.3 1.0

55 Megan Leach F 6-3 So 0.5 1.8

31 Marie Beck G 5-8 Jr 0.8 0.8

12 Stephanie Vermunt G/F 6-0 Fr (Bert Church HS, CAN)

2009-10 Cougar Stats Summary

-- Shooting from field: (.464, 188-405)

-- Shooting from free-throw line: (.593, 70-118)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.401, 59-147)

-- Average points per game: 72.1

-- Average rebounds per game: 42.1

-- Average assists per game: 16.6

-- Average steals per game: 11.0

-- Average blocks per game: 3.0

-- Average turnovers per game: 19.0

This Week’s Cougar Opponents

Weber State - Wed. Dec. 8 at 5 p.m. (Ogden, Utah) - Dee Events Center

Entering this week the Weber State Wildcats have compiled a 4-4 record with wins over Dixie State, SUU, Youngstown State and Utah Valley. The team returns all five starters from last year’s team that went 10-19 and 5-11 in the Big Sky Conference. Weber State is currently undefeated at home. Leading the way in scoring is Caitlin Anderson, a 5-10 junior guard/forward combo who averages 12.0 points and grabs a team best 7.5 rebounds per game. Senior guard Tonya Schnibbe leads the way in assists and in steals with a total of 55 and 16 respectively. Head coach Carla Taylor is in her 22nd season at the helm of the women’s basketball program.

Weber State Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

15 Caitlin Anderson F 5-10 Jr 12.0 7.5

20 Ali Thorderson F 5-10 Sr 5.6 3.1

03 Joey O’Neill C 6-3 So 4.8 4.8

10 Sarah Conner G 5-7 Sr 9.8 2.8

24 Tonya Schnibbe G 5-6 Sr 9.6 2.4

Stat Comparison

Category BYU WEB

Points: 72.1 59.6

FG: .464 .386

3FG: .401 .358

FT: .593 .693

Reb: 42.1 33.5

Series Information

Overall Series Record: BYU leads 37-9

BYU Record in Provo: 18-1

BYU Record in Ogden: 14-7

BYU Record in Neutral Sites: 5-1

BYU Record under Jeff Judkins: 7-1

BYU Record in Overtime Games: N/A

Longest BYU Win Streak: 17 (1979-1987)

Longest Weber St. Win Streak: 3 (1988-1990)

Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 37, 79-42 in 2006

Largest Weber St. Margin of Victory: 16, 93-77 in ‘79

Last Meeting

These two instate rivals met last on Dec. 10, 2008 in Provo where the Cougars captured the 76-69 victory. When playing at the Dee Events Center, BYU has a 14-7 record with their last win a 63-47 score coming on Dec. 14 during the 2006-07 campaign. The Cougars last loss was on Dec. 12, 2007, a 54-65 Wildcat victory.

CAL STATE FULLERTON - Sat. Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. (Fullerton, CA) - Titan Gym

CS Fullerton has compiled a 3-3 overall record so far this year and will play its first home games this week beginning with a Monday game against San Diego, and a Wednesday contest vs. Loyola Marymount, before hosting the Cougars on Saturday. The team returns three starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s team that finished with a 10-20, 5-11 Big West Conference record. Two players are scoring in double figures for the Titans led by 14.5 points from junior guard Lyndsey Grove and 13.3 points from another guard, sophomore Megan Richardson. Junior forward/center Jenna Breite tops the list in the rebound category grabbing 9.2 boards per game. In assists and steals, Lauren Chow is at the top in both with a total of 20 and 11 respectively. Marcia Foster is in her second season as Fullerton’s women’s basketball coach.

CS Fullerton Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

23 Megan Richardson F/G 5-10 So 13.3 2.0

32 Lyndsey Grove G 5-9 Jr 14.5 5.3

34 Jenna Breite C 6-1 Jr 4.8 9.2

01 Lauren Chow G 5-4 Jr 8.8 3.2

04 Jasmine Scott G 5-8 Sr 8.8 5.0

Stat Comparison

Category BYU CSF

Points: 72.1 70.7

FG: .464 .369

3FG: .401 .245

FT: .593 .778

Reb: 42.1 40.8

Series Information

Overall Series Record: CS Fullerton leads 3-2

BYU Record in Provo: 1-1

BYU Record in Fullerton: 1-2

BYU Record in Neutral Sites: N/A

BYU Record under Jeff Judkins: 1-0

BYU Record in Overtime Games: 0-1

Longest BYU Win Streak: 2 (1985-2003)

Longest Fullerton Win Streak: 3 (1977-1984)

Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 21, 72-51 in 2003

Largest Fullerton Margin of Victory: 36, 90-54 in ‘77

Last Meeting

These two teams met last during the 2003-04 season in Fullerton where the visiting BYU squad captured the 72-51 victory. When playing at Titan Gym, the Cougars have a 1-2 record losing last during the 1984-85 campaign, a close two-point 98-96 overtime Fullerton win on Jan. 14, 1984.

Team Travel

For the Weber State game on Wed., Dec. 9 the Cougars will bus up and back the same day.

Team Flight: Delta # 4677 departs Fri., Dec. 11 at 4:40 p.m., from Salt Lake City and arrives in Santa Ana at 5:33p.m.

Team Flight: Delta # 4496 departs Sun. Dec. 13 at 7:45 a.m., from Santa Ana and arrives in Salt Lake City at 10:31 a.m.

Team Hotel: Anaheim Park Hotel, 222 Houston Avenue, 714-992-1700, 714-992-4843, fax.

What’s Next

After the game at CS Fullerton on Dec. 12, the Cougars will play at Utah State on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 5 p.m. They finish the month of December hosting Portland on Dec. 31 in a 2 p.m. tip off.