KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a remarkable display of skill and teamwork, senior Kaitlin Peterson led the charge for UCF with an impressive 35 points, helping the No. 13 seed defeat No. 12 seed BYU 81-69 on Wednesday. This victory marked an important milestone, as it was the first Big 12 Tournament win in the program’s history.
The triumph advances UCF (12-17) to face off against the formidable Kansas State, currently ranked 20th, in the second round on Thursday. Their previous encounter with Kansas State, then ranked 14th, resulted in a significant loss for the Knights, ending 97-67 back on February 15.
Peterson’s performance was stellar, converting 12 of 21 attempts from the field, including two successful 3-pointers, and hitting 9 of 12 free throws. Her score not only topped the charts for the night but also ranked third in tournament history for single-game points scored. It was the fifth occurrence this season that Peterson crossed the 30-point mark in a game.
The Knights kicked off the fourth quarter with a powerful 8-0 run, largely influenced by Peterson, who contributed seven points, securing a 66-57 lead. Khyala Ngodu’s three-point play at the 6:21 mark further extended UCF’s advantage, marking the first double-digit lead of the game at 71-59. Peterson continued to maintain the pressure, adding another six points to keep UCF firmly ahead as the game reached its closing stages.
Ngodu rounded out her performance with 12 points and eight rebounds, while teammate Achol Akot added 10 points and hauled in eight rebounds. UCF’s dominance was evident on the boards, as they out-rebounded BYU 40-30.
On the BYU side (13-17), Delaney Gibb put forth a strong effort with 15 points, although it came from a challenging 5-of-17 shooting day. Other contributors included Amari Whiting with 14 points, Kemery Congdon with 11, and Kendra Gillispie adding 10.
