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BYU Notes vs. Gonzaga

Gonzaga Notes vs. BYU

PROVO, Utah— After picking up two West Coast Conference road wins, BYU women’s basketball (12-4, 4-1) is tied for second place in the latest league standings. They are at home for two important conference games this week.

The Cougars host league-leading Gonzaga (13-4, 5-0) Thursday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. Then on Saturday, Jan. 16, Portland (2-14, 0-5) comes to the Marriott Center for a 2 p.m. tip. Both games air live on BYUtv and are simulcast on BYU Radio. The Pilots are at San Diego Thursday night before making the trip to Provo.

BYU at a Glance
All-American senior guard Lexi Eaton Rydalch is one of three players scoring in double digits for BYU. She leads the league averaging 23.6 points per game and ranks second on the team in rebounds, pulling down 5.6 boards. Junior Makenzi Morrison Pulsipher follows with 11.4 points. All-American Kalani Purcell, a JC transfer from Hutchinson Community College and Hamilton, New Zealand, rounds out the scoring with her 10.2 points and with a team best 11.6 rebounds is averaging a double-double. Purcell tops the league in rebounds.

The Cougars are scoring 68.1 points per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the field, 67.8 percent from the free throw line and 36.2 percent from 3-point range. BYU is holding opponents to 60.7 points per game.

• Head coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah, ‘78) 15th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #21 L. Eaton Rydalch, 23.6 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #32 K. Purcell, 11.6 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #32 K. Purcell, 4.2 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #23 M. Morrison Pulsipher, 2.0 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #32, K. Purcell, .81 bpg

GONZAGA at a Glance
Gonzaga enters this week’s WCC action on a seven-game win streak and a 13-4, 5-0 record. They have a 5-1 record when playing on the road including a 3-0 mark in away league games.

The Bulldogs return eight letterwinners including three starters from a team that last year advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, won the WCC regular season title and finished 2014-15 with a 26-8 record.

Jill Barta and Elle Tinkle are the two players for Gonzaga that are putting up double figures in points with 10.9 and 10.5, respectively. Shelby Cheslek tops the list in rebounds averaging 8.4 boards per game. 

The Bulldogs are averaging 65.1 points per game, grabbing 41.8 rebounds while shooting 40.5 percent from the field, 32.3 percent from behind the arc and 67.3 percent from the free throw line. Gonzaga’s defense is holding opponents to 53.8 points a contest.

• Head coach: Lisa Fortier, Second Season
• Team’s leading scorer: #13 J. Barta, 10.9 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #44 S. Cheslek, 8.4 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #05 G. Stirton, 2.8 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #31E. Tinkle, 2.4 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #44 S. Cheslek, 2.1 bpg

Series History
Gonzaga leads the series 11-7.

During last year’s regular season race, Gonzaga swept the series with BYU. The two met a third time, in the semifinals of the 2015 WCC Championships where the Cougars picked up the 61-55 victory. BYU advanced to the championship game, winning its second title in four years.

In the first meeting between BYU and Gonzaga during the WCC race, the two played on Dec. 27 in Spokane where the Bulldogs picked up the 78-62 win. Then on Feb. 28 in Provo, Gonzaga beat the Cougars 73-66.

PORTLAND at a Glance
Portland has compiled a 2-14, 0-5 record so far this year. Their wins were over Willamette and at Portland State. Last week, they had a 17-point lead over Gonzaga in Portland before falling to the Bulldogs by eight.

The Pilots return six letterwinners including one starter from last year’s team that had a 4-26, 2-16 record.  Head coach Cheryl Sorenson is in her second season at the helm of Portland’s program.

Freshman Ellie Woener leads the team in scoring with 12.3 points per game. Sophomore Ashley Gray is atop the team in the rebound category pulling down 4.3 boards a contest.  Portland is averaging 58.2 points a game while shooting 39.0 percent from the field, 32.9 from 3-point range and 67.2 from the charity stripe.

• Head coach: Cheryl Sorenson, Second Season
• Team’s leading scorer: #22 E. Woerner, 12.3 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #33 A. Gray, 4.3 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #03 K. Van Loo, 3.6 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #03 K. Van Loo, 1.1 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #23 J. Spencer, .75 bpg

Series History
BYU leads the overall series over Portland with a 16-4 mark.

During last year’s WCC race, the Cougars swept the series over the Pilots with an 83-79 win in Portland on Dec. 29 and then a closely fought, two-point victory in Provo, 65-63 on Feb. 26.

Portland has not won a game in Provo dating back to a game on Jan. 2, 1999 when the Pilots beat the Cougars 62-57.

Coming Up
BYU continues league play at home next week. They host Loyola Marymount on Thursday, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. and Pepperdine on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m. Both game can be seen live on BYUtv.