TUCSON — In front of the biggest crowd of the season so far, Arizona delivered its breakthrough moment in Big 12 play, rallying past BYU for a 75-72 victory that showcased resilience, balance and leadership down the stretch.
Arizona trailed 57-51 entering the final quarter, but flipped the game with defensive pressure and clutch free-throw shooting, outscoring BYU 24-15 over the final 10 minutes.
Noelani Cornfield set the tone, recording a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists while controlling the pace before fouling out late.
Nora Francois led all scorers with 21 points on efficient shooting, and earning a career high five steals and five assists. Sumayah Sugapong added a season-best 18 points, going a perfect 9-for-9 at the free throw line.
Tanyuel Welch chipped in 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, anchoring the Wildcats inside.
Arizona sealed the win by forcing 27 turnovers from the Cougars, and shooting a season-high 90.9 percent from the free-throw line, including 11-of-12 in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats improved to 10-5 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12, and will remain home Saturday against UCF at 2 p.m..
