Tied for second, women are at San Diego Saturday

PROVO, Utah—With a 14-3, 4-2 WCC record, the BYU women’s basketball team enters this week’s league action tied for second place with San Diego and Saint Mary’s with identical 4-2 marks.

The Cougar women continue West Coast Conference action this week with one road game. BYU travels to San Diego to battle the Toreros (15-2, 4-2 WCC) Saturday at 2 p.m. PST at Jenny Craig Pavilion. The game action can be heard live on BYU Radio an online at TheW.tv

About BYU
Senior center Jennifer Hamson is one of three Cougar players who are putting up double digits in scoring, averaging 18.5 points per game. She has scored in double figures in all but two games. Sophomore guard Lexi Eaton is averaging 15.4 points per game with teammate Kim Beeston rounding out the double-digit output, contributing 11.8 points per contest.

As a team, BYU is averaging 71.8 points per game and is holding opponents to 66.7 points. The Cougars have recorded more blocks than opponents in all but one game (at Gonzaga) and have dished out more assists in 14 of the 17 games played to date. They have also recorded more rebounds in 12 contests.

BYU was picked to finish fourth in the WCC regular-season race behind San Diego, Saint Mary’s and league-favorite Gonzaga. 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, 18.5 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #5 Hamson, 9.8 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #4 Beeston, 3.6 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #4 Beeston, 1.4 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #5 Hamson, 3.7 bpg

About San Diego
San Diego has compiled a 15-2, 4-2 WCC record,  suffering its first losses of the season at Portland and at Gonzaga.

The Toreros were ranked No. 23 nationally last week, but dropped out of the top 25 after the two road defeats.

San Diego has a very balanced team with four players scoring in double figures. Amy Kame tops the leaderboard with 15.1 points per game followed by 12.3 points form Malina Hood and 11.8 from Felicia Wijenberg. Katelyn McDaniel rounds out the double-digit scoring contributing 10.3 points while leading in rebounds pulling down 8.1 per contest.

San Diego returns 12 letterwinners including two starters from last season’s squad that went 22-10, finished second in the WCC and advanced to the second round of the postseason WNIT.

• Head coach: Cindy Fisher (Arizona State, 1988) 9th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #10 Kame, 15.1 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #11 McDaniel, 8.1 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #10 Kame, 3.8 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #10 Kame, 1.9 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #12 Ederaine, 2.5 bpg

Series History
BYU leads the series 6-0. When playing in San Diego, the Cougars are 2-0.

Last Meeting
During last year’s WCC race, BYU swept the series over San Diego.

In the first matchup between the Cougars and the Toreros, it was the Cougars who picked up the 57-54 overtime win in San Diego on Jan. 10.

In the second meeting played in Provo on Feb. 9, BYU recorded the 53-48 victory.

Up Next
After the road game at San Diego, BYU women’s basketball returns to Provo, hosting San Francisco and Santa Clara on Jan. 23 and 25, respectively. Both games will be seen live on BYUtv.

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