BYU Cougars forward Lauren Gustin (12) looks to shoot as Rice Owls forward India Bellamy (12) and Rice Owls forward Ashlee Austin (22) guard her during a Women’s National Invitation Tournament basketball game at the Marriott Center in Provo on Friday, March 17, 2023. BYU lost 71-67. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

By Ryan McDonald

The BYU Cougars fell to the Santa Clara Broncos 60-59 Thursday night in the first round of the inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament at Santa Clara.

With 0.4 seconds left and the Cougars trailing by two at 60-58, senior star Lauren Gustin was fouled on an offensive rebound and went to the free throw line with a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Gustin, who finished her final game at BYU with 11 rebounds but just six points, made the first free throw but missed the second to effectively end the game.

It was a rough night for the Cougars at the free throw line. They got 16 attempts but made just six, while Santa Clara got just eight and also made six.

Freshman Amari Whiting led BYU with 14 points, while Kaylee Smiler added 13 and Lauren Davenport 10. Australians Tess Heal and Lara Edmanson scored 17 and 16 points, respectively, to lead the Broncos.

It was a close game throughout, as Santa Clara led by five at the end of the first quarter but the Cougars responded and led by four at halftime.

BYU’s lead was just two heading into the fourth quarter, but Heal tied it 11 seconds into the frame and the teams went back and forth from there, with neither leading by more than three.

With four seconds left and the game tied at 58, Heal made a layup. Whiting missed a layup attempt, which led to Gustin’s offensive rebound and final free throws.

The Cougars finished their first season in the Big 12 Conference with a 16-17 overall record.