PROVO, Utah — With a 4-5 record on the season, BYU women’s basketball takes its final nonconference road trip this week. The Cougar women play at Cal (7-2) on Sat., Dec. 16, at 5 p.m. PST. The game can be heard live on BYU Radio and will have an online video stream on the Pac-12 Network.
ABOUT BYU
The Cougars snapped a four-game losing streak with the 77-68 home win over Utah on Saturday. In that game, Cassie Devashrayee had a career-high 36 points while shooting 18 of 22 from the free- throw line. The attempted free throws rank second in the NCAA this season. Sara Hamson came off the bench to record a near double-double from nine blocks and nine rebounds, both career bests for the freshman center.
BYU is averaging 70.2 points and pulls down 40.9 rebounds a game. The team is shooting 42.3 percent from the field, 33.5 from the 3-point line and 70.9 percent from the charity stripe.
This year’s team consists of two returning starters, six letterwinners and eight newcomers. BYU was picked to finish third in this year’s West Coast Conference race.
ABOUT CAL
California has compiled a 7-2 record so far this year most recently defeating Pacific in Stockton on Sunday. The Bears also beat WCC foes Santa Clara, San Diego and Saint Mary’s
Cal returns 10 letterwinners including four starters from last year’s team that finished with a 20-14 record, tied for seventh place in the Pac-12. They advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb is in her seventh season with the Bears where she has compiled a 201-65 record.
Cal is averaging 78.8 points a game, while shooting 50.2 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from behind the arc and 67.9 percent from the free-throw line. They also grab 39.3 rebounds per contest. In the upcoming Pac-12 race, the Bears were picked to finish in fifth place.
I
n the USA Today Coaches Poll, Cal was ranked No. 25 in the preseason poll and then moved up to the No. 23 spot on Nov. 20. Since then, it has dropped out of the Top-25 but continues to receive votes.
SERIES HISTORY
The Cal Bears lead the overall series 3-0 with BYU having a 0-1 record when playing in Berkeley.
The last time these two teams met was during the 2010 WNIT postseason championships. On March 27, the Cougars fell to the Bears 76-50 in Berkeley in the quarterfinals. The loss ended BYU’s impressive run in the postseason WNIT, the furthest finish for the Cougar program.
UP NEXT
BYU returns home for one final nonconference contest. The Cougars host Montana State on Fri., Dec. 22 in a 2 p.m. tip off. The game will be carried live on BYUtv.