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It has all the makings of a story that keeps you engaged, starting out with a lot of promise, turning into adversity and finishing on a high note.

The sort-of-quick version is that Beh, who is now in her sixth year in college, made the Mountain West all-freshman team at UNLV. Her coach at UNLV, Kathy Oliver, was fired.

She missed two years of playing time because of COVID-19 and an injury at Salt Lake Community College and West Virginia.

At West Virginia, Mike Carey retired. The following year, Dawn Plitzuweit bolted for Minnesota after one year of coaching the Mountaineers and just moments after, WVU lost to UA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

It was in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ for her final two years that Beh found her home as two coaches — UA assistant Bett Shelby (who helped bring Beh to UWV) and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ coach Adia Barnes — poured everything into her.

This longtime reserve became a starter in her final year and turned into the Wildcats’ most valuable player during the 2024-25 season.

“I didn’t expect it to happen the way it happened,� Beh said. “I’ve had years, before I got here and some parts of last season, where I just felt unmotivated because I felt like I wasn’t good enough. Just being able to play how I always wanted to play, it’s been awesome.�

After Beh decided to come back for this season, she transformed her body and worked on perfecting the little things in her game. She has always had a high basketball IQ, doing the right things on the court.

Trusting the process

Now, she’s raised the level of her game in all aspects and she's the most consistent Wildcat.

The 6-3 co-captain is the best Wildcat at trapping and forcing turnovers near the baseline after the inbounds pass. As a natural five, Beh has moved seamlessly into the four position, and when she’s needed, goes right back into the paint. Now, she’s got an extra edge defending on the perimeter.

Her shooting is more on point — taking and making more 3s (37% clip) and 53% from the field. In addition, she’s averaging 8.5 points and 4.4 rebounds — nearly doubling these numbers from last season.

Still, it wasn’t until the Big 12 season started that Beh really started to soar.

“Ever since the Baylor game I haven’t taken my foot off the gas,� Beh said. “It was the first time I scored over 10 points this year (18). I was like, ‘I can do that more often.’ Adia called the last play for me (in regulation to send to overtime) and I was like ‘Oh, she believes in me.’ It gave me more confidence."

In the last 15 games of the Big 12 regular season from that Baylor game on, Beh is averaging 12 points per game.

She’s also stuffing the stat sheet with steals, blocks, rebounds and even assists. Plus, she is doing all the little things that don’t typically get measured, including growing into a strong communicator on and off the court.

"We call these type of people winners,� UA assistant Anthony Turner, Beh's position coach, said.

“We were begging her to do that (scoring), and she finally clicked in and said, 'OK, then I'll do it.' And she's come out and had some really good games. … If she's not scoring, she's always our best perimeter defender as a big. She's always our best communicator. She's one of our best screeners. When she gets assists, Breya (Cunningham) is going really well. She's the one that's throwing the ball to Breya and getting assists. She's a winner. She just does all the little things, whether it's scoring or other things that help us win, and that is just invaluable.�

And to think, a year ago, Beh was determined to finish her playing career and go into real estate. Now, all those dreams she had as a young girl, including playing professionally once the Wildcats season is over, are within her grasp.

“After my freshman year, I was really confident, but when I didn't play for two years that's when I gave up on that dream of playing pro,� Beh said. “Then, at West Virginia, going through the coaching changes, and having a new coach that didn't believe in me, that really messed with my confidence.

“Bett is really the reason I am here. I am appreciative of her because she was the one that believed in me even when I was at the JUCO. I was at a JUCO and couldn’t play. Who was going to recruit me? Bett did. Bett stood on business for me. She got me out of the JUCO because they weren’t going to let me leave. It was really Bett who got my confidence back, who put me in different positions to be successful.�

Beh also said that it is Barnes, the first head coach “who cares for me,� who is helping her with setting up interviews with agents and possibly having tryouts or a combine for different WNBA teams.

Coming from a large family of nine siblings, Beh says that Barnes is like a big sister. Barnes gives Beh advice on life things and there is a fun banter between the two of them.

Barnes has said numerous times this year that Beh is a role model for all the little girls who are told they can’t do it or it’s not possible. Beh has preserved through it all. She outworks everyone and, in the end, found a way.

Overcoming adversity

As with most athletes, there have been times when Beh didn’t have the confidence or was frustrated that things weren’t going her way. After all, Beh was pegged as a role player for much of her career.

After the first game of the 2023-24 season against New Mexico State, when Beh played five minutes, committed two fouls and had three turnovers — that was the extent of her stat sheet — she went to talk to Shelby. She was disappointed with her playing time and thought maybe she should go home.

Shelby’s message to Beh: “That's just not who you are. You stuck it out at West Virginia with the coaching change. You gave that a chance. You came here. You're going to get better and better. You have to stick to the process, and you have to see it through.�

Beh listened and trusted her coach, who has always had her back.

What Beh hasn’t shared to this point is the depths of her struggles.

Her dad, Issacher, who has been seen at McKale Center for most of her games over the last two seasons, is her go-to, when things are good and not-so-good.

Beh has called her father crying and telling him, “I don't want to do this anymore; I can't do it anymore.�

But it was at West Virginia where she faced her toughest days.

“I had suicidal thoughts; I went through a really dark period when I was at West Virginia (and) I didn't want to be here anymore,� Beh said.

Beh calls it a few months where she felt numb, “I was just living the same day on repeat, not really having any emotions about anything.�

Her dad knew something was off, but she didn’t want to tell him she was sad. Finally, her dad took it upon himself to get her the help she needed — through his own insurance. To make it easier and more comfortable for Beh, she talked to a Black woman therapist online.

“Once I got through that, once I got help, it was just like, ‘OK, if I can make it through like that, then I can make it through stuff on the basketball court,’� Beh said. “Because that's something that I was gifted with. A talent that I could work hard at and get better at. I feel like that made it easier.�

Recently, Beh talked to her dad about her entire collegiate journey as he was driving three hours to another daughter’s regional tournament. He told her that he was proud of her.

Leaving a legacy

Beh is one of the most beloved Wildcats during the Barnes coaching era. It's not only that she leaves it all out on the court, can always be counted on and is the most consistent Wildcat this season, it's who she is off the court that touches fans and her coaches, especially Shelby.

“She cares about others, more than she cares about herself," Shelby said. 

“I think that beams through in everything she does. Most kids in this generation just aren’t that way. It’s me, me, me, me. Isis truly cares about others. If I am having a rough day or someone her team is having a rough day, she truly cares about that. She wants them to be OK and them to be the best for the team. She tries to make sure that her interaction with them is really, really positive so that she can lift them up and I think that makes her extremely unique.�