This was a must-win game for the Wildcats to have any chance at making the NCAA Tournament.Â
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ came out ready to take on the task on both ends of the court, playing disruptive defense and scoring inside and outside, then hung on in the fourth quarter to beat BYU 65-57 Wednesday night at McKale Center in front of 6,957 fans.Â
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ stops a two-game losing streak to improve to 16-12, 7-8, while BYU drops to 13-13, 4-11. The Wildcats swept the season series with the Cougars.Â
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ now controls its own destiny. Four more wins during the final three games in the Big 12 regular season — at Houston Saturday, Texas Tech at home on Tuesday and finishing it out at ASU on Saturday, March 1 — and one in the league tournament gets them to 20 wins. In addition, in the last few years in the Big 12, any team that has at least a .500 record has typically made the Big Dance. Winning four more games puts ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ at 11-8 in conference.Â
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Skylar Jones said that ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ coach Adia Barnes' message to her team was that "today starts a new season, for the hopes for the postseason."

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Skylar Jones (4) floats into a lane full of Cougars during their Big 12 game against BYU on Feb. 19, 2025.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ was at full strength with Jada Williams back from taking one game off to manage the pain in her foot and Mailien Rolf returned from a concussion. Both were back in the starting lineup.Â
Barnes managed Williams' time during the game to ease her back to playing. Her first shot — a 3 — with 3:55 left in the first quarter dropped like she hadn't missed a beat. However, she would not score again until she sensed her team needed it — with 1:20 left in the third quarter when Williams connected on a mid-range jumper to give UA a 43-34 lead.
She hit a big 3 and a layup to break the press in the second half. On the biggest play of the game, with 37 seconds left, it was Williams who dug deep and wasn't going to let BYU get an inbounds pass, getting on the floor at half court to come up with the ball.Â
She ended up playing 21 minutes — much less than the typical 30.6 minutes per game that she averages. Williams finished with 12 points (4 of 7) and two steals.Â
Of course, it wasn't smooth sailing. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ took a 37-21 lead into halftime, but BYU didn't give up, getting more aggressive in the second half. The reigning Big 12 freshman of the week, Delaney Gibb got hot, scoring 14 of her 16 points in the second half.Â
"Our second half (didn't go) that well," Barnes said. "But I wanted to celebrate the win because wins are hard to come by. We know teams are going to make runs, but just our second half attention to details at certain times for long periods has to get better."
Barnes added that sometimes the guards were going under screening actions, which is "a lack of discipline and I think our youth shows up in those stressful times."Â
BYU would get as close as four points. All of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s points down the stretch came on free throws.Â
"They're a good shooting team," Breya Cunningham said. "... I think us not being as aggressive on defense in that third quarter and losing a couple of people in transition, (they were) able to cut down the lead and then get that confidence."
Three other Wildcats finished in double figures: Isis Beh had 14 points (7 of 8 free throws, three steals), Cunningham scored 11 points (eight rebounds, two steals and four blocks) and Skylar Jones with 13 (4 of 7).Â
The Wildcats' shots weren't falling in the third quarter, going on a long scoring drought and letting BYU climb back in. The Cougars out-scored the Wildcats 15-6 in the frame, to cut the lead to 43-36.Â
"Amari Whiting has really long arms and she's a really good defender," Barnes said. "She was able to put a lot of pressure on us ... We usually don't turn the ball over in live action like we did today."
UA turned the ball over 18 times for 17 BYU points. However, BYU had a hard time handling the ball, as well, as the Wildcats forced 21 turnovers and scored 23 points off them.Â
The Wildcat posts led their teammates in the first half, combing for 17 points — Beh with 9 (3 of 3) and Cunningham with 8 points (4 of 6). Plus, no fouls for either post player. Having them on the court for most of the game is key for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. Cunningham finished with two fouls, while Beh only had one.Â
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ started pulling away in the last 4:42 of the first quarter. The Wildcats went on a 14-3 run, overlapping the first and second quarters as the Cougars didn't score a field goal for nearly 7½ minutes. BYU had four turnovers in 6:38 during that first quarter.Â
For much of the first half, the Wildcats kept the Cougars off the 3-point line. BYU finally broke though with 1:19 left in the half and knocked one down at the buzzer. The Wildcats held them to 33%, shooting 3s on 2 of 6 attempts and 32% from the field.Â
Photos: University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ holds on to edge BYU 65-57, Big 12 basketball

BYU guard Delaney Gibb (11) and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Jada Williams (2) get in a footrace for the ball in the third quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Katarina Knezevic (34) and BYU guard Amari Whiting (1) tangle for a rebound in the second quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Breya Cunningham (25) collides with BYU forward Kendra Gillispie (35) on a drive into the lane during their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., Feb. 19, 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Skylar Jones (4) floats into a lane full of Cougars during their Big 12 game against BYU on Feb. 19, 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ center Breya Cunningham, right, stuffs a shot under the basket from BYU forward Kendra Gillispie in the second quarter of their Big 12 game on Feb. 19, 2025, at McKale Center.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Paulina Paris (23) tries to squeeze into the paint past the grab from BYU guard Delaney Gibb (11) in the second quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Isis Beh (33) chases down a long rebound just ahead of BYU guard Lauren Davenport (30) during the final minutes of the game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., Feb. 19, 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ coach Adia Barnes, right, has a talk with center Breya Cunningham before sending the Wildcats out to face BYU at the start of the third quarter on Feb. 19, 2025, at McKale Center.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Isis Beh (33) saves an errant Wildcat shot from going out of bounds against BYU in the third quarter of their Big 12 game at McKale Center, Feb. 19, 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Skylar Jones (4) loses the scramble for the ball to BYU guard Kambree Barber (14), left, and guard Lauren Davenport (30) in their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

BYU guard Kambree Barber (14) stuffs a shot in the lane from ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Lauryn Swann (1), ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

BYU guard Delaney Gibb (11) fouls ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Isis Beh (33) with a hand to the throat in the fourth quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Paulina Paris (23) gets stripped of the ball on a drive late against BYU, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Isis Beh (33) claws the ball from BYU forward Emma Calvert (25) in the fourth quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Jada Williams (2) draw the charge from BYU guard Kambree Barber (14) in the third quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Mailien Rolf (13) slips past the screen from BYU forward Emma Calvert (25) to get to BYU guard Kemery Congdon (15) in the third quarter of their Big 12 game in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on Feb. 19, 2025.

BYU head coach Amber Whiting and her staff react to a call against the Cougars in the third quarter of their Big 12 game against ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Paulina Paris (23) picks up a reach-around foul trying to get the ball away from BYU guard Kambree Barber (14) in the fourth quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

A game official walks by ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ head coach Adia Barnes and her sparkly jacket in the fourth quarter against BYU, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Jada Williams (2) and BYU guard Amari Whiting (1) dive for the ball near mid-court in the fourth quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Breya Cunningham (25) muscles her way to a shot around BYU forward Emma Calvert (25) during their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Paulina Paris (23) tries to get off a shot on a drive into the BYU defense in their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Isis Beh (33) gets hit from all sides trying to put up a shot in the third quarter against BYU, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Skylar Jones (4) loses the handle on the ball after absorbing contact from the BYU defense in the second quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Katarina Knezevic (34) elbows her way past BYU guard Kambree Barber (14) in the second quarter and into the paint, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Lauryn Swann (1) draws a bead as she launches a three from the corner against BYU in the third quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Breya Cunningham (25) slips a shot past the reach of BYU forward Emma Calvert (25) in the third quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Isis Beh (33) gets edged out in the race to a loose ball by BYU guard Kambree Barber (14) in the early in the first quarter of their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Isis Beh (33) takes a hit putting up a shot during the first quarter of the game against BYU, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Lauryn Swann (1) gets stopped on her drive by BYU guard Amari Whiting (1), left, and guard Delaney Gibb (11) in their Big 12 game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ guard Paulina Paris (23) lofts a shot in front of BYU guard Kambree Barber (14), ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., February 19 2025.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ forward Katarina Knezevic (34) cuts off BYU guard Kambree Barber (14) in pursuit of the ball in the second quarter of their Big 12 game in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on Feb. 19, 2025.