PROVO, Utah—Continuing the momentum from its last game, the BYU women’s basketball team dominated the Wisconsin Badgers 77-59 at the Marriott Center, Wednesday night.

“We saw incredibly balanced scoring tonight and I thought that was the key,” said BYU head coach Jeff Judkins. “Jen gave us a really great inside presence tonight and we had a lot of other girls contributing. We did a lot better job in the second half on their bigs, challenging them and minimizing their points.”

Forward Dani Peterson paced BYU (3-2) with a career-high 15 points, but she was not the only Cougar to contribute to the win. Guard Lexi Eaton, center Jennifer Hamson and guard Stephanie Vermunt also scored in double figures, the first time this season that the Cougars have had four in double figures in a game. Guard Xojian Harry also had a career-high nine points.

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Wisconsin (1-4) started the game quickly, breaking the BYU press with ease and racing out to a 10-4 lead. From that point on it was all Cougars. Haley Steed turned it around with a nice skip pass to Kristen Riley at the block for two. On the following possession Steed pulled down a board, raced down the court for a layup, bringing the crowd to its feet. BYU continued to put on the pressure, stealing the ball in the backcourt and tying the game on an Eaton lay-up.

Steed continued the fire for the Cougars with consecutive steals leading to a lay-up and then dishing to Peterson for a three-pointer, pushing the Cougar lead to 19-15. The Cougars picked a third consecutive pocket with 13:12 on the clock, but turned it right back over to the Badgers.

With Parker in early foul trouble, Harry came in and made her presence felt.

She flew down the court for back-to-back layups, one on a nifty reverse between two defenders, pushing the lead to 25-17 and prompting a Wisconsin timeout.

Wisconsin cut into the BYU lead with a trey late in the half, but the Cougars answered right back with a three by Vermunt. Riley followed that up with a three of her own, pushing the halftime lead to 46-33.

The Cougars struggled out of the gate in the second half with two quick fouls as Parker picked up her fourth and Riley her second with 19:00 left in the second half. The Badgers started out on a 7-2 run, cutting the lead to 48-39. The Cougars countered right back using a 16-2 of their own, sealing the game.

Steed found Peterson who caught the ball over her shoulder and put it in for two, pushing the lead to 54-39, as the crowd erupted. The following play, the Cougars stole the ball from the Badgers and the crowd rose to its feet again as Steed passed it down court to Eaton who put it in for two.

The women are back in action Saturday at 2 p.m. when they face Eastern Washington at the Marriott Center.

Postgame Notes

Team

BYU had 31 bench points and 24 points off turnovers, holding Wisconsin to only six points of turnovers.

BYU scored eight fast break points and didn’t allow any Wisconsin fast break points.

The Cougars shot 60 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc in the first half

For the first time this season, BYU had four players score in double figures.

BYU forced 19 Wisconsin turnovers and set a season-low 10 turnovers.

The Wisconsin game was the fourth time the Cougars had more assists than their opponents and the fourth-straight game recording more steals.

Wednesday’s game was also the third time this season BYU recorded more blocks than its opponent.

Players

Freshman Xojian Harry recorded a career-high nine points.

Lexi Eaton totaled 14 points for her fourth double-figure outing this season. Shooting 4-4 from the free throw line, Wednesday’s game was Eaton’s third straight game shooting 100 percent from the charity stripe.

Kristen Riley put up a season high of nine points

Dani Peterson recorded her second double-figure outing of the season with 15 points to set a new career high. Peterson led the Cougars in scoring.

Jennifer Hamson also recorded a season high of 10 points and tied her season high of three blocks.

Haley Steed recorded a season-high seven assists.

Home For Two This Week
BYU women’s basketball returns to the Marriott Center playing two games during the Thanksgiving Week.
The Cougars (2-2) host Wisconsin (1-3) on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 5 p.m., and Eastern Washington (2-1) on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. Both games will air live worldwide on BYUtv.

Special Promotions for Wisconsin Game - TEAM NIGHT
BYU is encouraging any middle or high school girls basketball team to come for just $15. This includes up to 3 coaches, with a printed roster. Any family member that come can purchase a family pass for $15. Teams will have their own section, be recognized on the video screen, participate in halftime activities and have a meet 'n greet poster signing with the BYU Women's Basketball team, after the game.

Special Promotions for Eastern Washington Game - FAMILY PASS
Bring the entire family for $10. Normally, a family pass is $15.

2011-12 Stats Summary
-- Shooting from field: (.394, 87-221)
-- Shooting from three-point line: (.303, 20-66)
-- Shooting from free-throw line: (.743, 55-74)
-- Average points per game: 62.2
-- Average rebounds per game: 40.0
-- Average assists per game: 15.0
-- Average steals per game: 8.0
-- Average blocks per game: 4.0
-- Average turnovers per game: 18.8

About BYU
--The Cougars leading scorer and rebounder is senior guard Haley Hall Steed who averages 14.3 points per game while grabbing 8.3 boards.
--Second on the team in the rebounding category is senior center Kristen Riley who averages 6.8 rebounds per game. She's followed by senior forward Dani Peterson, who records 4.8 boards a contest.
--Steed leads the way in assists and steals with 18 and nine respectively.
--Riley, Peterson and sophomore center Jennifer Hamson are all tied in the blocks category, each with four.
--True freshman Lexi Eaton has the team’s best free throw percentage (.857, 12-14).

WEDNESDAY OPPONENT
WISCONSIN
The Wisconsin Badgers will be making their first ever trip to Provo and have compiled a 1-3 record to date with their lone win coming on the road at Milwaukee, a 68-51 victory. They return two starters among the eight letterwinners from last year’s team that went 16-15 and finished tied for third in the Big 10 conference with a 10-6 mark. Wisconsin is led by 6-0 junior guard/forward Taylor Wurtz who averages 15.8 points and grabs a team high 11.0 rebounds per game. Jade Davis, a 5-9 senior guard tops the list in the assists category dishing out a total of 12 to date. Wurtz also has the most steals on the team with seven. Head coach Bobbie Kelsey is in her first year at the helm of the Wisconsin basketball program.

Series Breakdown
Overall Series Record: BYU leads 1-0
BYU Record in Provo: n/a
BYU Record in Madison: n/a
BYU Record in Neutral Sites: 1-0
BYU Record under coach Judkins: 1-0
BYU Record in Overtime Games: n/a

Last Meeting
The two teams met for the first time last season when both were competing in the Concord-Hilton Thanksgiving Tournament hosted by St. Mary’s. In that matchup the Cougars picked up the 67-55 victory led by senior guard Mindy Bonham’s 16 points with 11 points from  Haley Hall. BYU enjoyed a 44-26 advantage at the break and finished the contest outrebounding the Badgers 36-34. The Cougars shot 39 percent from the field and 60 from the free throw line and made eight of 26 attempted three pointers.

SATURDAY OPPONENT
EASTERN WASHINGTON
The Eagles of Eastern Washington return to the Marriott Center after a 17 year absence. They play Oregon State on Nov. 22 before making the trip to Provo. To date, the team has compiled a (2-1) record with wins over Corban and WCC foe San Diego. This year’s team has three starters among the nine letterwinners back from last year’s team that compiled a 13-18 overall record, finishing sixth with a 8-8 mark in the Big Sky Conference. The Eagles have two players putting up double figures in points with senior guard Brianne Ryan tallying 17.7 points and 5.7 rebounds. Aubrey Ashenfelter follows with 12.0 points and 3.3 boards. The team’s leading rebounder is freshman forward Melissa Williams who grabs 7.7 rebounds a game. Chene Cooper has the most assists and steals on the squad with 16 and nine respectively. Head coach Wendy Schuller enters her 11th season with the women’s basketball program.

Series Breakdown
Overall Series Record: BYU leads 2-1
BYU Record in Provo: 1-1
BYU Record in Cheney: n/a
BYU Record in Neutral Sites: 1-0
BYU Record under coach Judkins: n/a
BYU Record in Overtime Games: n/a

Last Meeting
The last game these two teams played goes back to the 1994-95 season where the visiting Eastern Washington squad picked up an 83-71 victory in Provo on Dec. 29, 1994.

What’s Next
BYU’s women’s basketball team takes to the road once again for three more games when it participates in the Hukilau Invitational in Laie, Hawaii. The Cougars will play BYU-Hawaii on Nov. 29, Arizona on Dec. 1 and Syracuse on Dec. 3. All games will be played on the BYU-Hawaii campus at the Cannon Events Center.