Team Hosts Portland And Nevada This Week

After playing on the road for nearly the entire month of December, the BYU women’s basketball team gets set to play its last two nonconference games this week at home. The Cougars (7-3) host Portland (9-3) on Thursday, Dec. 31 and Nevada (6-5) on Saturday, Jan. 2. Both games tip off at 2 p.m.

2009-10 Stats Summary

-- Shooting from field: (.449, 262-584)

-- Shooting from free-throw line: (.591, 104-176)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.379, 74-195)

-- Average points per game: 70.2

-- Average rebounds per game: 42.5

-- Average assists per game: 16.0

-- Average steals per game: 10.0

-- Average blocks per game: 3.2

-- Average turnovers per game: 20.1

BYU Team Notes

In all games, the Cougars have had at least two players score in double figures. In the road victory at Utah State on 12/19/09, three Cougars had double digit scoring performances also marking two straight games where three players scored in double figures.

Along with their 7-3 overall record, the Cougars are also 6-2 when outrebounding opponents, 2-2 when opponents lead at the half, and will finish their nonconference schedule with a 4-2 mark when playing on the road.

BYU scored just 61 points to get the win over Utah State on Dec. 19. In all previous victories, the team had scored at least 70 points.

Player Injury Report

Freshman guard Kim Parker suffered a season ending injury in the game at Weber State. She has torn ligaments in her left foot.

THIS WEEK’S COUGAR OPPONENTS

UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND - Thurs. Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. (Provo, UT) - Marriott Center

Heading into the last week of the year, the Portland Pilots have a 9-3 record. This week they play at Utah Valley on Tues. Dec. 29 before Thursday’s matchup with the Cougars. Three players on the Pilots roster are currently scoring in double digits led by Laiken Dollente who is averaging 16.7 points and 4.6 boars per game. The 5-8 senior guard also tops in assists dishing out 60 to date. Natalie Day, a 6-0 sophomore guard/forward contributes 12.2 points and 3-7 rebounds a game, while Lauren Angel rounds out the double figure scoring with 11.7 points. Alexis Gannis leads the way in the rebound category with an average of 7.8 boards per contest. Head coach Jim Sollars enters his 23rd season with the Portland women’s basketball program.

Series Information

Overall Series Record: BYU leads 7-4

BYU Record in Provo: 2-2

BYU Record in Portland: 4-2

BYU Record in Neutral Sites: 1-0

BYU Record under Jeff Judkins: 3-0

BYU Record in Overtime Games: N/A

Longest BYU Win Streak: 4 (1984-1992)

Longest Portland Win Streak: 4 (1995-1999)

Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 35, 70-35 in 2004

Largest Portland Margin of Victory: 24, 87-63 in ‘97

Last Meeting

These two teams met last season in Portland on Jan. 3 where the visiting Cougars picked up the 65-37 win. When playing in Provo, the Pilots have compiled a 2-2 record. Their last victory in Provo was a five-point, 62-57 win on Jan. 2, 1999.

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA - Sat. Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. (Provo, UT) - Marriott Center

The University of Nevada has compiled a 6-5 record on the year and plays two games prior to Saturday’s contest in Provo with BYU. The Wolfpack are competing in the Surf N Slam Classic hosted by the University of San Diego, Dec. 28-30. Junior guard Tahnee Robinson is one of three players scoring in double figures for the Wolfpack with 16.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. She’s followed by Johnna Ward who tallies 11.9 points and 1.7 boards. Rounding out the double digit scoring is Shavon Moore, a 6-1 junior forward with her 10.8 points and a team high 7.5 rebounds per game. Amanda Johnson tops the list in assists with 27 while Ward leads the way in steals with 21 so far this season. Jane Albright is in her second season as head coach of the Nevada program.

Series Information

Overall Series Record: BYU leads 4-0

BYU Record in Provo: 1-0

BYU Record in Reno: 2-0

BYU Record in Neutral Sites: 1-0

BYU Record under Jeff Judkins: 3-0

BYU Record in Overtime Games: N/A

Longest BYU Win Streak: 3 (1986-2004)

Longest Nevada Win Streak: N/A

Largest BYU Margin of Victory: 18, 81-63 in 2008

Largest Nevada Margin of Victory: N/A

Last Meeting

In last season’s matchup between these two schools, the Cougars picked up an 81-63 victory on Nov. 18 in Reno. The Wolfpack have never won a game in Provo during the series that began in 1986 when the two schools were competing in a tournament hosted by Boise State. The series was renewed during the 2003-04 campaign.

What’s Next

After the two home games, the Cougar women’s basketball program begins the 2010 MWC race by playing its first league game on the road at UNLV on Jan. 6 before hosting the Air Force Academy on Jan. 13. That game will air live on BYUTV.