PROVO, Utah— After opening the season at home with a 78-62 win over in-state foe Utah Valley, BYU women’s basketball continues its nonconference schedule with its first road trip of the year. The Cougar women (1-0) are at No. 18 Oklahoma (1-0) on Thurs., Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. CT. Fans can listen to the game on BYU Radio on Sirius XM 143 and on the internet at byuradio.org/listen. The game will also have streamed video on the Fox Sports Go app., and can be watch on Fox Sports if you have the Fox Sports Regional package on your cable plan. Video link to Fox SportsGo.
ABOUT BYU
Three returning starters and nine letterwinners anchor this year’s team. Senior All-American Lexi Eaton Rydalch is back for her final year in a BYU uniform as the team’s leading scorer (20.5) and leading rebounder (6.5). Point guard Kylie Maeda also returns as the second senior on the squad. Maeda is the team’s assist leader (4.2) while also contributing 6.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Junior Makenzi Morrison Pulsipher is the third returning starter on the 2015-16 squad. Pulsipher has the team’s best 3-point field goal percentage, shooting .411 and adds 9.6 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Key letterwinners back with solid playing experience include juniors Kristine Fuller Nielson and Micaelee Orton who have the most experience, being on teams that played in back-to-back NCAA tournaments and won a conference championship title. Sophomores Cassie Broadhead and Amanda Wayment will come off the bench providing solid minutes for the team.
JC transfer Kalani Purcell, from Hamilton, New Zealand, is one of the top newcomers on this year’s squad. In her two years at Hutchinson Community College (Kansas), she averaged a double-double with 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game and guided the team to a 72-2 record including back-to-back appearances in the NJCAA national championship game. She also brings a lot of international playing experience having been a member of the New Zealand National Team in 2013 and 2015.
Freshmen Jasmine Moody and MaCayla Hanks are also expected to contribute this year. Haley Bodnar, another freshmen, will sit out this season per NCAA rules since transferring from Purdue.
In the first game of the year vs. UVU, Pulsipher led the way with a career afternoon from 27 points, 18 of which came from behind the arc. Maeda dished out a game-high seven assists. Purcell and Wayment topped the list in the rebound category with seven apiece. BYU shot 44 percent from the field and 85 percent from the free throw line vs. the Wolverines.
• Head coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah, ‘78) 15th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #23 M. Morrison Pulsipher, 27.0 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #32 K. Purcell & #4 A. Wayment, 7.0 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #03 K. Maeda, 7.0 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #23 Pulsipher & #20 C. Broadhead, 2.0 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #34, M. Orton, .1.0 bpg
ABOUT OKLAHOMA
No. 24 Oklahoma (1-1) on the year defeated Winthrop 78-48 and then dropped a close 61-57 game to North Texas. Both games were played at home. The Sooners return four starters from a team that compiled a 21-12 record last season and finished in second place in the Big 12 with a 13-5 mark. Oklahoma advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament losing in overtime to Stanford.
After two games, the Sooners are scoring 67.5 points per game while shooting 41 percent from the field, 34 percent from behind the arc and 63 percent at the free throw line.
• Head coach: Sherri Coale (Oklahoma Christian, ‘87) 19 years
• Team’s leading scorer: #10 P. Little, 17.0 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #42 K. Williams, 9.5 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #02 T. Edwards, 2,7 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #03 M. Seals, 1.2 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #40 S. Loggins, 1.2 bpg
Series History
Oklahoma leads the series 3-1.
Last Time
These two teams met last during the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2006. In that game on March 20, 2006, the Sooners ended BYU’s season with an 86-70 victory in Denver, Colorado at the Pepsi Center.
What’s Next
After the game at Oklahoma, the BYU women continue competing on the road. They are Colorado State on Sat. Nov. 21. The Cougars and Rams game tips off at 7 p.m. MT and can be heard live on BYU Radio on Sirius XM 143 and on the internet at byuradio.org/listen