Cougar women host WCC foes Pepperdine Thursday, LMU Saturday

PROVO, Utah— After opening up the West Coast Conference race with two road wins, BYU women’s basketball (10-3, 2-0) is home this week for league play. The Cougars host Pepperdine (7-5, 1-1) Thursday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m. MST. On Saturday, Jan. 5, they play LMU (8-6, 1-1) at 2 p.m. MST. Both games will be carried live on BYUtv and online at byutv.org.

BYU vs. LMU Game Notes

BYU vs. Pepperdine Game Notes

ABOUT BYU

• On a four-game win streak and after playing in 13 games, BYU is putting up 65.6 points per game while shooting 40.1 percent from the field, 30.7 percent from the 3-point line and 68.2 percent when shooting from the free throw line. The team grabs 40.4 rebounds and has pulled down more boards in seven contests to date.
• Freshman Shaylee Gonzales, who has scored in double digits in all games, leads in scoring with a 17.0 average. Sophomore Paisley Johnson and junior Brenna Chase contribute 12.2 points each. Chase also leads the way in assists (4.2) and steals (2.5).  Junior Shalae Salmon tops the leaderboard in rebounding with a 5.7 average. Sophomore center Sara Hamson leads in blocks with 1.4 per contest.
• At least two players have scored in double-digit points in 12 of the 13 games played.
• BYU was picked to finish third in the WCC preseason poll while Chase and Hamson were named to the WCC preseason team.
• During last year’s WCC race, the Cougars swept the series with Pepperdine.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE

• Pepperdine has a 7-5, 1-1 record with wins over Hawaii, Sacramento State, Cal Poly, Seattle University, Weber State, Northern Kentucky and in league play, they beat Portland and lost to Gonzaga.
• The Waves return eight letterwinners.
• Three players are scoring in double figures for Pepperdine with 18.6 points from Yasmine Robinson-Bacote, 11.4 from Paige Fecske and 10.1 from Barbara Sitanggan. Robinson-Bacote tops the leaderboard in rebounding with 7.2 boards a contest.
• Pepperdine is averaging 67.6 points and 40.3 rebounds a game. They shoot 39 percent from the field, 35.1 percent from behind the arc and 70 percent from the free-throw line.
• The Waves were selected to finish ninth in the 2018-19 WCC Preseason Poll.

ABOUT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT

• LMU enters the week at 8-6 overall and 1-1 in league play after capturing a win over Portland and losing to Gonzaga. The Lions play at San Diego on Thursday night before making the trip to Provo for Saturday’s matchup with the Cougars.
• LMU is averaging 62.8 points and pulls down 41.5 rebounds a game. Loyola Marymount is shooting 38.6 percent from the field, 28.8 from 3-point range and 59.8 percent from the free throw line.
• Gabby Green leads the way in scoring for the Lions putting up 15 points a contest. Chelsey Gibson is next with 13.8 points and teammate Jasmine Jones rounds out the scoring contributing 11.3 points a game. Bree Alford is the team’s top rebounder as she grabs 8.3 boards a contest.
• LMU was picked to finish fourth in this year’s WCC preseason poll. The Lions and Cougars tied for third place last season. BYU has a 15-1 advantage in the overall series and swept the Lions last year.

UP NEXT FOR BYU

BYU continues league play on the road after Saturday’s home game with LMU. The Cougars are at Pacific and at Saint Mary’s on Jan. 10 and Jan. 12.