Two more WCC road games on Cougar women’s schedule this week

BYU at Saint Mary's Notes

BYU at Pacific Game Notes

PROVO, Utah— Tied for first place in the latest West Coast Conference standings with San Diego and on a 10-game win streak, BYU women’s basketball (18-4, 10-1) continues WCC play on its last two of four road games.

The Cougar women head to northern California this week, playing at Pacific (11-10, 3-7) Thursday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. PT. BYU then heads to Moraga to battle St. Mary’s (17-4, 8-2) on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. PT. Both league games will be carried live on TheW.tv.

BYU at a Glance
All-American senior guard Lexi Eaton Rydalch is one of three BYU players that are putting up double figures in points with a team-best 24.3 points. She ranks second on the team in rebounds, pulling down 5.9 boards a game. Junior Makenzi Morrison Pulsipher contributes 11.7 points to the Cougars’ offensive threat. All-American Kalani Purcell, a JC transfer from Hutchinson Community College and Hamilton, New Zealand, rounds out the scoring with her 11.6 points and with a team best 12.8 rebounds is averaging a double-double. Purcell tops the league in rebounds and in assists. In last Thursday’s win at LMU, Rydalch became the WCC’s all-time leading scorer. Currently, she also leads the conference in scoring and she was named this week's WCC Player of the Week.

The Cougars are scoring 69.5 points and grabbing 39.5 rebounds while shooting 41.7 percent from the field, 68.4 percent from the free throw line and 35.0 percent from 3-point range. BYU is holding opponents to 61.7 points per game.

• Head coach: Jeff Judkins (Utah, ‘78) 15th season
• Team’s leading scorer: #21 L. Eaton Rydalch, 24.3 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #32 K. Purcell, 12.8 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #32 K. Purcell, 4.6 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #32 K. Purcell, 2.1 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #32, K. Purcell, .86 bpg

PACIFIC at a Glance
After playing in 10 league games, the Tigers have a 3-7 mark in WCC action with wins over San Francisco, Pepperdine and Portland. They lost to St. Mary’s on Saturday in Moraga. Overall, Pacific has a 10-11 record.

Hailie Eackles tops the leaderboard in scoring for Pacific averaging 13.2 points per game. Desire Finnie follows with 11.3 points. GeAnna Luaulu-Summers rounds out the three players putting up double digits in points with 10.4 a game. Mauriana Clayton leads the way in rebounds pulling down 5.8 boards per contest.

The Tigers are scoring 67.2 points per game while shooting 36.7 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from behind the arc and 70.1 percent from the free throw line.

• Head coach: Bradley Davis, First year
• Team’s leading scorer: #23 H. Eackles, 13.2 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #03 M. Clayton, 5.8 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #15 G. Luaulu-Summers, 3.8 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #22 D. Finnie, 1.5 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #05 E. Simons, .57 bpg

Series History
BYU leads the series 9-3. In the first meeting between the two league foes this year, BYU picked up the 79-62 victory in Provo on Jan. 2.

When playing in Stockton, the Cougars have a 3-1 record. In last year’s WCC race, BYU went into Spanos Center on Feb. 14, and lost a hard fought battle, 86-82 to the Tigers. It was the first loss by the Cougars in Stockton since Pacific joined the league.

SAINT MARY’S at a Glance
The Gaels have compiled a 17-4, 8-2 record to date. Their two league losses are at Santa Clara and at BYU. They are currently on a seven-win league streak with wins at San Diego and at Gonzaga. SMC plays San Diego on Thursday night, before hosting the Cougars on Saturday afternoon.

Three Saint Mary’s players are scoring in double digits with 18.1 from Lauren Nicholson, 13.0 points from Devon Brookshire and 12.0 points from Sydney Raggio. Raggio tops the list in the rebound category, pulling down 8.0 boards per game. 

The Gaels are scoring 75.9 points per game while holding opponents to 69.4 points a contest. Saint Mary’s shoots 46 percent from the field, 37 percent from behind the arc and 77 percent from the free throw line.

• Head coach: Paul Thomas, 10th year
• Team’s leading scorer: #01 L. Nicholson, 19.1 ppg
• Team’s leading rebounder: #12 S. Raggio, 9.1 rpg
• Team’s assists leader: #21 S. Beck, 2.9 apg
• Team’s steals leader: #21 S. Beck, .85 spg
• Team’s blocks leader: #12 S. Raggio, 1.0 bpg

Series History
Saint Mary’s has a one-game edge over BYU in the series, leading 6-5. When playing at McKeown Pavilion, the Cougars are 0-4.

These two foes played their first game in this year’s WCC race in Provo on Dec. 31 with the Cougar women getting the 65-59 victory over the Gaels.

Coming Up
After four straight road games, BYU returns to the Marriott Center for its next three league contests. The Cougars host San Francisco and Santa Clara on Feb. 11 and 13 with games starting at 6 p.m., and noon, respectively. The following week BYU rounds out its home slate of WCC games with a matchup against San Diego on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. At that game, the team will recognize its two seniors, Kylie Maeda and Lexi Eaton Rydalch.