Two WCC games on tap this week

Entering the week, BYU women’s basketball is in third place in the latest West Coast Conference standings with a 7-3 mark. On Thursday night the Cougars (16-7) host Santa Clara (13-11, 5-6) at 7 p.m. MST in a “pink” game for breast cancer awareness. The Cougars and Broncos matchup will be broadcast live on BYUtv. Then on Saturday, BYU is at Pepperdine (4-18, 1-10) in a 2 p.m. PST tip off. That game airs live on BYU Radio.

BYU Capsule
The Cougar team has outrebounded its opponents in 14 of the 23 games played. The BYU bench has outscored the opponent’s bench 432-279. When comparing points in the paint, the Cougars have scored 582 points to 504 from opponents. BYU has had a halftime lead in all but six games to date (vs. SD, vs. SMC, at USF, at Gonzaga, vs. Seattle and at Washington State). In only four contests (at USF, at Gonzaga, at Boston College and at Washington State) the Cougars did not record more assists than their opponents. Balanced scoring has added to the team’s success this year. To date, three players have put up double figures in points in 11 games and four players finished with double-digit scoring in three games.

• Head coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah, ‘78), enters his 12th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #4 Kim Parker Beeston, 10.5 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #5 Jennifer Hamson, 7.3 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #33 Haley Steed, 7.7 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #33 Steed, 2.0 spg

BYU’S PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
#33 Haley Steed – (5-4 guard, GS.) 10.3 ppg; 4.0 rpg; 7.7 apg
#4 Kim Parker Beeston – (5-11 guard, Jr.) 10.5 ppg; 4.0 rpg; 2.2 apg
#12 Stephanie Vermunt Seaborn – (6-0 guard/forward, Jr.) 6.4 ppg; 2.6 rpg; 1.4 apg
#45 Keilani Unga – (6-2 forward, Sr.) 7.0 ppg; 4.3 rpg; 0.9 apg
#5 Jennifer Hamson – (6-7 center, Jr.) 8.8 ppg; 7.3 rpg; 0.5 apg

Santa Clara Capsule
Santa Clara has compiled a 13-11 record, going 5-6 in league action, which puts them in fifth place in the standings. They were at San Francisco on Saturday afternoon where they picked up a 69-64 win. The Broncos return four starters from last year’s team that compiled a 12-18 record and finished in sixth place in the WCC with a 5-11 mark.

• Head coach: Jennifer Mountain is in her 4th season with Santa Clara
• Team’s leading scorer: #4 Ricki Radanovich, 11.1 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #33 Ruta Zurauskyte, 7.0 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #21 Raquel Avila, 3.0 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #4 Radanovich, 2.0 spg

Series History
BYU leads the series 5-1.

Last Meeting
In the first meeting between these two teams, BYU recorded a 65-48 road win at the Leavey Event Center in Santa Clara on Feb. 2. Haley Steed led all scorers with 17 points while also contributing six assists and four steals. Keilani Unga put up 13 points and led the team with seven rebounds. The Cougars got off to a quick start and after 20 minutes of action took a 30-17 lead at the break. Santa Clara chipped away at the BYU lead cutting it to only nine points with just under four minutes remaining in the game. A steal by Unga led to a jumper by Kim Parker Beeston, cutting off the Bronco’s advance with 1:49 to play. The Cougars sealed the game from the free throw line. For the game, BYU shot 37 percent form the field and 78 percent from the free-throw line. Santa Clara shot 31 percent from the field and 62 percent from the charity stripe. Ruta Zurauskyte, who picked up a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, led the Broncos.

Pepperdine Capsule
Entering this week’s league play, Pepperdine has a 4-18, 1-10 record. They played at San Diego on Monday where they fell to the Toreros 71-50. The Waves return one starter and eight letterwinners.

• Head coach: Julie Rousseau is in her ninth year at San Diego
• Team’s leading scorer: #1 Robie Mayberry, 10.6 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #1 Mayberry, 5.4 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #22 Cooney-Williams, 2.6 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #11 Ea Shoushtari, 1.8 spg

Series History
BYU leads the series 4-2

Last Meeting
These two teams met earlier this year in Provo where the Cougars recorded a 68-42 victory on Jan. 12. Kim Parker Beeston led four Cougars in double figures with 15 points. Haley Steed had 12 points while going 2-3 from behind the arc with nine assists, Jennifer Hamson had 10 points and nine rebounds and Ashley Garfield had 10 points and six rebounds. Pepperdine was led by Kelsey Patrick who scored 11 points and pulled down four rebounds. BYU had a 10-point, 30-20 advantage at halftime. The Cougars pushed their lead to over 20 points late in the second half. BYU used its length and speed to force eight turnovers and outrebound the Waves 21-15 to maintain its lead for the remainder of the game. The Cougars shot 47 percent from the field, holding Pepperdine to only 25 percent shooting.

Up Next
After the road game at Pepperdine, the Cougars return home for their final two league games. They host Portland on Thurs. Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. MST. BYU then battles Gonzaga on Sat., Feb. 23 at 2 p.m., MST. Both games can be seen live on BYUtv. During Saturday’s game against the Bulldogs, the athletic department will retire the jersey worn by Jackie Beene McBride. The team will also recognize its two departing seniors, Keilani Unga and Haley Steed.