Notes for game #27 at San Diego
PROVO, Utah —With a Thursday bye in West Coast Conference action, BYU women’s basketball (19-7, 11-4) takes its last road trip in regular season league competition.
The Cougar women head to southern California to take on San Diego (20-5, 11-4) on Sat., Feb. 21 in a 2 p.m. PST tip. The Toreros, Cougars and Pacific Tigers are all tied for third place in the league standings. The game can be heard live on BYU Radio and will have a video stream on TheW.tv.
About BYU
Lexi Eaton, a 5-foot-10 junior guard/forward combo, leads the Cougars in scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game. She ranks third in rebounds, pulling down 6.5 boards a contest. Morgan Bailey, a 6-foot-2 senior forward, is in second place in scoring, tallying 18.5 points while leading the way in rebounding, averaging 10.9 boards per game. Bailey became BYU’s 26th player to eclipse 1,000 points in the USF game in San Francisco. The team’s assist leader is Kylie Maeda, who averages 4.5 assists a game.
BYU is averaging 69.3 points per game, while shooting 43.4 percent from the field, 70.1 percent at the free-throw line and 36.0 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. In the home game vs. SMC, both teams tied in the assists category with 11 each. The Cougars have recorded more rebounds in 14 contests to date, have a 15-2 mark when leading at the break and have scored at least 80 points in six games
The team has had four players score in double figures in four contests, (most recent at Pacific) and has had three players finish with double-digit points in nine games (most recent at SMC).
BYU head coach Jeff Judkins recorded his 300th win with the 77-58 home victory over Pepperdine on Feb. 5, 2015.
• Head coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah, ‘78) 14th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #21 L. Eaton, 21.1 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, 1.5 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #41, M. Bailey, .54 bpg
About SAN DIEGO
San Diego has a 20-5, 11-4 record and is tied with BYU and Pacific for third place in the WCC standings. The Toreros are 10-2 when playing at home and 5-1 in WCC games.
Three players are scoring in double digits for USD, led by Malina Hood who is averaging 15.5 points and 3.0 rebounds a contest. Sophia Ederaine follows, with 11.9 points and a team-best 9.8 boards per game. Maya Hood rounds out the double figure scoring, contributing 11.0 points and 6.8 rebounds a contest.
San Diego is averaging 67.4 points, recording 43.2 rebounds per game, shooting 39.6 percent from the field and 69.4 percent from the free-throw line. From 3-point range, USD is shooting 43.2 percent.
• Head coach: Cindy Fisher (Arizona State, 1988) Ninth Year
• Team’s leading scorer: #02 Malina Hood, 15.5 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #12 S. Ederaine, 9.8 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 8-1. When playing in San Diego, the Cougars are 1-2.
Last Meeting
A key 3-pointer in the closing minutes by Xojian Harry along with a career-high 15 points allowed BYU women’s basketball to hold on against San Diego, 54-50, in the first meeting between the two league foes on Jan. 24 in Provo.
Lexi Eaton led all scorers with 16 points followed by Harry’s 15 points. Morgan Bailey contributed 13 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
The Cougars held a nine-point advantage over the Toreros to start the second half. BYU suffered a scoring drought for nearly six minutes starting at the 16:00 mark of the second half. The drought allowed the Toreros to get within one point, 37-36.
Bailey ended the drought with 10:41 left when she found Eaton cutting down the lane for a lay-up that put the Cougars back up three, 39-36.
BYU went up 50-45 with just over a minute left after Makenzi Morrison hit two critical free throws. Harry iced the game with four made free throws in the final minute as BYU held on for the 54-50 victory.
Up Next
The Cougar women play their final two regular season WCC games at home next week. BYU hosts Portland, Thurs., Feb. 26 and league-leading Gonzaga on Sat., Feb. 28. Both games can be seen live on BYUtv.