TicketsPROVO, Utah – The University of Cincinnati women’s basketball team closed strong on Tuesday night, using a late surge to secure a 76-67 win over BYU in Provo.
Trailing by three with just over four minutes to play, the Bearcats responded with a decisive 14-2 run to pull away. Cincinnati improves to 10-17 overall and 5-10 in Big 12 play, while BYU falls to 17-10 and 6-9 in the Big 12.
Senior Mya Perry delivered a career night, pouring in a career-high 32 points. She knocked down five three-pointers, including two in the final four minutes to fuel the game-clinching run. The performance marked her third career 30-point outing.
Junior Reagan Jackson added 16 points, five rebounds and four assists, while freshman Kylie Torrence chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.
Cincinnati shot 41% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc, finishing 18-of-25 (.720) at the free throw line. BYU also shot 41% overall and connected on 10 three-pointers (.455).
The Bearcats used an 8-0 run over 1:19 to build a 19-10 advantage midway through the first quarter. Torrence highlighted the stretch with an and-one finish. Cincinnati scored 23 points in the opening six minutes and led by as many as 11 after a Perry three before BYU trimmed the margin to 29-25 at the end of the quarter. Perry and Jackson combined for 22 points and four three-pointers in the first.
In the second quarter, Cincinnati led by five before back-to-back BYU threes swung the lead at the 5:14 mark (36-35). After scoring droughts by both teams, Ndiba converted two free throws to put UC back in front, and the Bearcats carried a 40-36 lead into halftime.
BYU used a 7-0 run midway through the third quarter to reclaim the lead. Ndiba provided key minutes off the bench to help Cincinnati regain a 49-47 edge, but the Cougars answered with four straight free throws. Jackson’s jumper tied the game at 51 heading into the fourth.
BYU moved ahead by three with 4:07 remaining (65-62), but Cincinnati responded once more. The Bearcats rattled off eight straight points to retake the lead and closed the game on a 14-2 run, punctuated by two clutch three-pointers from Perry.