Women host Saint Mary’s Saturday afternoon

With a 12-2, 2-1 record, the Cougar women host one more West Coast Conference game this week. BYU battles Saint Mary’s (12-2, 2-1) on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. MST. The game will air live on BYUtv.

About BYU
Three players are scoring in double figures for the Cougar women, led by Jennifer Hamson who is averaging 19.5 points per game and has scored in double digits in all but one game played. Lexi Eaton follows with 15.4 points per game and Kim Beeston contributes 12.3 points.

As a team, BYU is averaging 73.9 points per game and is holding opponents to 66.5 points. The Cougars have recorded more blocks than opponents in all games and have dished out more assists in 12 of the 14 games played to date. They have also recorded more rebounds in nine 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. 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, 19.5 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #5 Hamson, 10.3 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #4 Beeston, 3.8 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #4 Beeston, 1.5 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #5 Hamson, 3.9 bpg

About Saint Mary’s
Saint Mary’s round out the week of league action with a 12-2, 2-1 record and is tied for second place with BYU in the WCC standings. The Gaels defeated Gonzaga and Portland last week and lost to San Diego this past Thursday.

The Gaels have four players scoring in double digits and the team is putting up 81.3 points per game and allowing opponents to score 71.8 points per game.

Saint Mary’s returns 10 letterwinners including four starters from last year’s team that went 23-11, tied for third place with BYU in the WCC race and advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT.

• Head coach: Paul Thomas (Wayne State, 1986) 8th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #3 Jackie Nared, 20.8 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #54 Danielle Mauldin, 14.1 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #10 Kate Gaze, 5.3 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #54 D. Mauldin, 1.5 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #54 D. Mauldin, 1.6 bpg

Series History
SMC leads 3-2. In Provo the Gaels have a 1-2 record.

Last Meeting
During last season’s league race, these teams split the series with each team winning on its home court.

The two league foes played an additional game last year, in the third round of the WNIT in Provo on 3/27/13. That closely fought game went the way of the Gaels. They defeated the Cougars 59-55.

In the first league game, BYU beat SMC 66-58 on 1/31/13 in Provo. In the second contest played in Moraga, Saint Mary’s recorded the 64-52 victory.

Up Next
The BYU women’s basketball team will play its next three WCC games on the road. The road swing begins Thursday, Jan. 9 at Gonzaga with a game in Portland against the Pilots on Saturday, Jan. 11. The following game the Cougars travel to San Diego to take on current conference leader, the Toreros, on Saturday, Jan. 18 at Jenny Craig Pavilion. All three games will be heard live on BYU Radio.

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