Cougars begin conference play against Loyola Marymount

ABOUT BYU
BYU women’s basketball won its 10th game of the season by defeating in-state rival Utah State on Saturday, 84-74. The win leaves the Cougars tied for their best non-conference start in program history at 10-1.

BYU stays at the Marriott Center to play its first conference game this week. The Cougars host the Loyola Marymount Lions on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 2 p.m. MST. The game will air live on BYUtv.

BYU has three players scoring in double figures, led by Jennifer Hamson who is scoring 18.5 points per game and has scored in double digits in all but one game played. Lexi Eaton follows with 15.8 points per game and Kim Beeston contributes 12.5 points. 

As a team, the Cougar women are averaging 74.3 points per game and holding opponents to 66.7 points. BYU has recorded more blocks than opponents in all games and has dished out more assists in 10 of the 11 games played to date. They have also recorded more rebounds in eight contests to date.

In the coaches’ preseason poll, BYU was picked to finish fourth in the WCC regular season race behind San Diego, Saint Mary’s and league favorite Gonzaga. Senior center Jennifer 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, 10.4 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #4 Beeston, 4.1 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #4 Beeston, 1.6 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #5 Hamson, 4.4 bpg

ABOUT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
Loyola Marymount concluded its nonconference schedule with a 3-8 record, capturing wins over New Mexico State, Northern Arizona and UNLV.

After playing 11 games, the Lions are averaging 65.4 points per game and have two players scoring in double figures.

Last year, LMU compiled a 13-18 record finishing tied for fifth place in the West Coast Conference.  They return three starters and a total of 10 letterwinners.

• Head coach: Charity Elliott (SW Missouri State, ‘92) enters 2nd season
• Team’s leading scorer: #4 Hazel Ramirez, 13.5 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #35 Mackenzie Kerins, 8.7 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #4 H. Ramierez, 5.6 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #4 H. Ramirez, 2.5 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #20 Sophie Taylor, 0.8 bpg

Series History
BYU leads the series 6-1. When playing in Provo, the Lions are 0-2.

Last Meeting
During last year’s WCC race, these two teams split the series with each school winning on its home court. The Cougars and Lions met for a third time, in the quarterfinals of the WCC Championships in Las Vegas. In that game, BYU picked up the 69-57 victory.

The first game during league action was played in Provo with BYU getting the 72-53 win on Jan. 24, 2013.  In the second meeting, the Lions recorded the 68-55 victory on Feb. 28, 2013 in Los Angeles.