PROVO, Utah (Interstat) — Olivia Hamlin scored 20 points to lead No. 12 BYU to an 81-46 win over UTEP in women’s basketball Saturday at Marriott Center. The Cougars seized control with a dominant 29-point second quarter, turning a 13-6 first-quarter lead into a 42-14 halftime advantage. The Miners never recovered, shooting poorly throughout. Hamlin, a sophomore from Santa Clara, Utah, led all scorers. Kambree Barber added 13 points for BYU. Sirviva Legions scored 13 for UTEP. BYU improved to 12-1 while UTEP fell to 7-2. An announced crowd of 1,977 watched the game.

PROVO, Utah (Interstat) — In a commanding display of offensive firepower and defensive pressure, the BYU women’s basketball team overwhelmed UTEP 81-46 on Saturday afternoon at the Marriott Center, extending its strong start to the season. The Cougars, now 12-1, seized control of the game with a dominant second quarter and never looked back, handing the Miners their second loss of the season to drop their record to 7-2. A crowd of 1,977 watched as BYU’s depth and execution proved too much for the visiting squad. The most important stretch of the contest came in the second period, where BYU transformed a competitive game into a lopsided affair. Leading just 13-6 after a low-scoring first quarter, the Cougars erupted for a 29-point second quarter while holding UTEP to only eight. This 29-8 blitz established a 42-14 halftime lead from which the Miners could not recover. The quarter was a showcase of BYU’s balanced attack and disruptive defense. The run featured contributions from across the roster. Olivia Hamlin, who finished as the game’s leading scorer, was instrumental during the surge. Kambree Barber provided a spark off the bench with active play on both ends, while the interior presence of posts like Bolanle Yussuf and Lara Rohkohl altered shots and secured rebounds. The Cougars forced multiple UTEP turnovers and shot clock violations during this decisive stretch, stifling any Miner offensive rhythm. Hamlin, a guard from Santa Clara, Utah, led all scorers with 20 points in 30 minutes of play. Barber, from Rigby, Idaho, added 13 points, three assists and two blocks off the bench. Sydney Benally of Albuquerque, New Mexico, directed the offense with seven assists to go with eight points. UTEP, which entered the game having won seven of its first eight, struggled against BYU’s defensive intensity from the opening tip. The Miners shot just 6-of-26 from the field in the first half and committed 11 turnovers before the break. Guard Sirviva Legions of Brooklyn, New York, was a bright spot for UTEP, leading her team with 13 points and three assists, but she received little consistent support. After halftime, the Cougars maintained their comfortable margin, outscoring UTEP 20-19 in the third quarter and 19-13 in the fourth. BYU’s bench outscored UTEP’s reserves 36-11, highlighting the team’s depth. Marya Hudgins contributed 11 points, while Rohkohl and Yussuf combined for 15 points and four blocks. The victory was BYU’s eighth in a row since its lone loss at Vanderbilt on Nov. 29. The Cougars, who were projected as overwhelming favorites by advanced metrics pregame, lived up to that billing with a comprehensive performance. UTEP, coming off a 40-point loss at TCU the previous weekend, has now faced consecutive difficult road tests against power conference opponents. BYU looks ahead to its final non-conference road game of the season at UCF next Saturday. UTEP returns home to host UC Irvine on Thursday before a break for the holidays.

Preview: UTEP Miners at No. BYU Cougars PROVO, Utah (Interstat) — A surging BYU women’s basketball team, boasting one of the nation’s top records, will look to continue its dominant start when it hosts a UTEP squad seeking redemption following its first loss of the season. The nonconference matchup is set for Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Marriott Center. The 11-1 Cougars, receiving votes in the latest AP Top 25 poll, have won five straight since their lone setback, an 84-71 road loss to Vanderbilt on Nov. 29. They are coming off a 68-59 home victory over Idaho State on Thursday, led by a 22-point performance from guard Olivia Hamlin. Hamlin, a key player to watch, is averaging 16.3 points over her last four games and provides a dynamic scoring threat for a balanced BYU offense. They face a 7-1 UTEP team that saw its perfect start end emphatically last Saturday in a 95-40 road loss to Texas Christian. The Miners will aim to rediscover the form that fueled their seven-game win streak, which included an overtime victory over Tennessee-Martin and a solid road win at Missouri-Kansas City. UTEP’s resilience will be tested by a stout BYU defense that has held opponents to an average of 57.2 points per game. The Miners will rely on forward Ndack Mbengue, who recorded a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in the loss to TCU. Mbengue has been a consistent interior presence, scoring in double figures in three of her last five contests. For BYU, maintaining momentum is critical as it prepares to enter the rugged Big 12 conference schedule in January. A win would solidify its strong nonconference resume. For UTEP, competing against a high-major opponent on the road presents a prime opportunity to rebound and prove its early-season success was no fluke. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. MST at the Marriott Center in Provo.