Cougar women host in-state rival Utah State, Tuesday morning

BYU Game Notes 

USU Game Notes

PROVO, Utah—After going 0-2 on its first road trip, BYU women’s basketball returns home for one game. The Cougars (1-2) host in-state rival Utah State (2-1) on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 11 a.m. for Kid’s Day. Elementary school-age kids throughout Utah County will be in attendance at the game. The Cougars and Aggies contest airs live on BYUtv and on the internet at byutv.org.

ABOUT BYU
Three returning starters and nine letterwinners anchor this year’s team. Last year, the Cougars compiled a 23-10 record, won the West Coast Conference tournament and competed in the first round of the NCAA tournament. BYU was selected to finish second in this year’s WCC regular season race.

After three games, BYU has two players that are scoring in double figures. All-American senior guard Lexi Eaton Rydalch is averaging 21.0 points and junior Makenzi Morrison Pulsipher contributes 12.7 points per game. All-American Kalani Purcell, a junior college transfer, leads the way in the rebound category (10.3). She pulled down a season-best and game-high 15 boards in the loss at No. 24 Oklahoma last Thursday.

The Cougars are scoring 60.0 points per game, shooting 37 percent from the field, 74 percent from the free throw line and 42 percent from 3-point range.

• Head coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah, ‘78) 15th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #21 L. Eaton Rydalch, 21.0 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #32 K. Purcell, 10.3 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #3 K. Maeda, 3.7 apg
• Team’s steals leader: ##23 M. Morrison Pulsipher, 2.3 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #34, M. Orton, .67 bpg

ABOUT UTAH STATE
Utah Sate comes to Provo with a 2-1 record with home wins over Westminster and Pacific. The Aggies return six letterwinners including one starter from a team that finished last season with an 8-23 overall record and a ninth place tie in the Mountain West Conference. Utah State is the second MWC team that BYU will play this year, having just played at CSU on Saturday.

Funda Nakkasoglu and Katie Toole are scoring in double digits for USU with Nakkasoglu contributing 24.0 points and Toole 12.7. Tijana Djukic leads the team in the rebound category pulling down 9.7 boards a game.

The Aggies are scoring 79.3 points per game while shooting 43 percent from the field, 75 percent from the free throw line and 31 percent from behind the arc.

• Head coach: Jerry Finkbeiner (Southwest Nazarene, ‘80) 4th year
• Team’s leading scorer: #03 F. Nakkasoglu, 24.0 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #22 T. Djukic, 9.7 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #03 Nakkasoglu & #25 R. Brewster, 4.3 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #25 Brewster & #01 V. Price, 2.3 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #22 Djukic, 1.7 bpg

Series History
BYU leads the series 33-3. In Provo, Utah State has 1-16 record.

Last Time
These two in-state foes played last season in Logan on Dec. 22, 2014, where the Cougars recorded the 62-58 win in double overtime. Lexi Eaton had a game-high 29 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the victory. Teammate Morgan Bailey tallied a double-double from 19 points and a game-best 22 rebounds. BYU shot 31 percent from the field and 65 percent from the free throw line and made three of 17 attempted 3-point buckets.

The Aggies also had two players finish with double digits in points with 19 from Funda Nakkasoglu and 15 from Franny Vaaulu. She recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds. USU shot 31 percent from the field, 56 percent from the charity stripe and 24 percent from behind the arc.

What’s Next
After the lone game at home, the Cougar women take to the road once again competing at the Radisson Chatsworth Thanksgiving Basketball Classic 2015, Nov. 27-28, hosted by CSUN. BYU will take on Georgia at 5 p.m. PT, Friday and either Penn State or hosts Cal State Northridge on Saturday, at 2 p.m.