ABOUT BYU
BYU women’s basketball won its 11th game of the season by defeating Loyola Marymount on Saturday, 84-74. The win leaves the Cougars 1-0 in West Coast Conference play and tied for their best start in program history at 11-1.
BYU stays at the Marriott Center to play its second conference game in three days. The Cougars host Pepperdine on Monday, Dec. 30, at 5 p.m. MST. The game will air live on BYUtv.
BYU has three players scoring in double figures, led by Jennifer Hamson who is scoring 19.6 points per game and has scored in double digits in all but one game played. Lexi Eaton follows with 16.0 points per game and Kim Beeston contributes 12.4 points.
As a team, the Cougar women are averaging 75.6 points per game and holding opponents to 67.2 points. BYU has recorded more blocks than opponents in all games and has dished out more assists in 11 of the 12 games played to date. They have also recorded more rebounds in eight contests to date.
In the coaches’ preseason poll, BYU was picked to finish fourth in the WCC regular season race behind San Diego, Saint Mary’s and league favorite Gonzaga. Senior center Jennifer Hamson was named to the preseason all-conference team, her second such honor.
• Head coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah, ‘78) enters his 13th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #5 Hamson, 19.6 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #5 Hamson, 10.4 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #4 Beeston, 4.0 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #4 Beeston, 1.5 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #5 Hamson, 4.1 bpg
ABOUT PEPPERDINE
Pepperdine University opens up WCC action with two road games. They were at San Diego prior to coming to Provo to battle the Cougars. To date, the Waves have compiled a 4-8 record. On the road they are 2-6.
With 12 games on the season, Pepperdine is averaging 70.2 points per game and has four players scoring in double figures. They are holding opponents to 74.2 points per game.
• Head coach: Ryan Weisenberg (Cal Poly, ‘97) 1st season
• Team’s leading scorer: #10 Bria Richardson, 17.0 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #11 Ea Shoushtari, 6.9 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #10 B. Richardson, 4.1 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #10 B. Richardson, 2.6 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #44 Kelsey Brockway, 0.6 bpg
Series History
BYU leads the series 5-2. When playing in Provo, the Waves are 0-3.
Last Meeting
These two teams met twice last year during the league race with BYU recording both wins. In Provo, the Cougars came out on top with a 68-42 victory on 1/12/13. When the teams played in Malibu, BYU picked up a 67-44 road win on 2/16/13.