PROVO, Utah— Tied for third place in the latest West Coast Conference standings, BYU women’s basketball (14-5, 6-2) has one more home league game this week.
The Cougar women host San Diego (15-3, 6-2) Saturday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. MST. The game airs live on BYUtv and will be simulcast on BYU Radio.
About BYU
BYU’s six-game league win streak was snapped after a disappointing 10-point, 61-51 home loss to Saint Mary’s last Saturday. The Cougars have a 7-2 record at home, including a 3-1 mark in conference action.
The combined 63 points from Lexi Eaton’s 32 and Morgan Bailey’s 31 points in the win over Pacific on Jan. 15 were the first in program history. No two players have ever scored 30-plus points each in the same game.
Lexi Eaton, a 5-foot-10 junior guard/forward combo, leads the Cougars in scoring, averaging 19.8 points per game. She ranks third in rebounds, pulling down 5.8 boards a contest. Morgan Bailey, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, is in second place in scoring, tallying 18.7 points while leading the way in rebounding, averaging 10.9 boards per game. The team’s assist leader is Kylie Maeda, who averages 4.5 assists a game.
After playing 19 games, BYU is averaging 69.4 points per game, while shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 68.5 percent at the free-throw line and 36.6 percent from 3-point land. In all but three games, (at LMU, vs. USF and at Gonzaga), BYU has dished out more assists than its opponents. Most recently, in the home game vs. SMC, both teams tied in the assists category with 11 each. The Cougars have recorded more rebounds in 11 contests to date, have an 11-1 mark when leading at the break and have scored at least 80 points in five games (most recent, a season-high 89 vs. Pacific).
The team has also had three players score in double figures in six contests, (most recent at LMU) and has had four players finish with double digit points in two, (most recent vs. UNLV).
• Head coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah, ‘78) 14th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #21 L. Eaton, 19.8 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #41 M. Bailey, 10.9 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #15 K. Maeda, 4.5 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #23 M. Morrison, 1.4 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #41, M. Bailey, .47 bpg
About SAN DIEGO
San Diego comes to Provo with a 15-3, 6-2 record and is tied with BYU for third place in the WCC latest standings. The Toreros hosted two league foes last week and came away with a one-point, 57-56 loss to Saint Mary’s and a four-point, 56-52 win over Pacific.
In the preseason WCC poll, San Diego was picked to finish third in the 2015 league race. When playing on the road, San Diego has a 7-1 overall mark and is 3-1 when playing away conference games.
The Toreros return 12 letterwinners, including three starters from last year’s team that had a 24-9, 11-7 record and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the postseason WNIT.
Three players are scoring in double digits for USD, led by Malina Hood who is averaging 15.1 points and 2.6 rebounds a contest. Sophia Ederaine, follows with 12.4 points and a team-best 9.6 boards per game. Maya Hood rounds out the double figure scoring, contributing 12.1 points and 7.2 rebounds a contest.
San Diego is averaging 68.2 points, recording 43.8 rebounds per game, shoots 40.0 percent from the field and 69.4 percent from the free-throw line. From 3-point range, USD is shooting 31.6 percent.
• Head coach: Cindy Fisher (Arizona State, 1988) Ninth Year
• Team’s leading scorer: #02 Malina Hood, 15.1 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #12 S. Ederaine, 9.6 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #32 C. Woodward, 2.6 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #22 Maya Hood, 1.9 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #12 S. Ederaine, 4.3 bpg
Series History
BYU leads the series 7-1. When playing in Provo, the Toreros are 0-3. Coach Judkins has a 7-1 record against USD. Last year, these two teams split the series with each team winning on its home court.
Last Meeting
The first game between the two league foes was played in San Diego on Jan. 18, where the Cougars lost 60-45. When the two played in Provo, BYU picked up the 71-58 win on March 1.
Up Next
BYU continues WCC play next week, traveling to northern California for two important conference matchups. The Cougars are at San Francisco on Jan. 29 and at Santa Clara on Jan. 31.