Athletics

Utah State Women's Basketball Splitting Week of Games

Utah State women's basketball continues its 2015 season this week in a pair of games. The Aggies host Pacific on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 6 p.m., before traveling to play at BYU on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 11 a.m. (photo from Athletics website)

TIP-OFF — Utah State women’s basketball (1-1) continues its 2015 season this week in a pair of games. The Aggies host Pacific Saturday, Nov. 21, at 6 p.m., before traveling to play at BYU Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 11 a.m.

FOLLOWING THE AGGIES — All regular-season home and Mountain West games will continue to be broadcast through the Aggie Digital Network and the Mountain West Network this season, powered by Campus Insiders. Tuesday’s game at BYU will also be broadcast nationally on BYUtv (DirectTV, channel 68/374, Dish Network, channel 9403). All USU games will also be broadcast on the radio on 107.7 KLZX in Cache Valley, as well as an online stream, with Craig Hislop on the call. Live stats and play-by-play information will be available through GameTracker, while updates will also be provided through the team’s social media outlets. Links to each option will be available online prior to every game.

SCOUTING PACIFIC — Pacific sits at 2-0 on the year, opening the season with road wins at Cal State Bakersfield (80-74) and UC Davis (66-53). Prior to their trip to Logan, the Tigers play at Montana on Thursday. The game in Logan is part of a seven-game road stretch to open the 2015-16 campaign. Last season, the Tigers finished 21-10, going 13-5 in West Coast Conference action to finish third in the league. The season ended in an 87-79 loss to Sacramento State in the first round of the WNIT. A longtime assistant for Pacific, Bradley Davis is in his first season as the Tigers’ head coach.

Senior forward Erin Butler is the leading scorer for the Tigers at this point, averaging 16.0 points per game. Sophomore guard GeAnna Luaulu-Summers is the top rebounder with 7.5 per game. The Tigers return two starters and seven letterwinners from last year’s roster. As a team, Pacific is shooting 37.7 percent (52-of-138) from the field, 37.3 percent (19-of-51) from the 3-point line and 51.1 percent (23-of-45) from the free throw line. The Tigers are averaging 73.0 points per game, while out-rebounding their opponents, averaging 47.0 per game.

The Aggies and Tigers have met on the court eight times with Pacific leading the series, 5-3. The teams last met last season in Stockton, where the Tigers came out ahead, 70-62.

SCOUTING BYU — BYU has started the 2015-16 season with a 1-0 record, topping neighboring Utah Valley, 78-62, in the season opener. The Cougars will play at Oklahoma and Colorado State before returning to Provo to welcome the Aggies on Tuesday morning. Last season, the Cougars finished the year with a 23-10 record. The team upset top-seeded Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference Tournament, eventually claiming the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars ended the season in an 86-53 loss to No. 3 seed Louisville. Jeff Judkins is in his 15th season as the head coach of the BYU program, where he has compiled a 305-143 record.

Junior guard Mackenzi Morrison Pulsipher was the leading scorer for the Cougars in the win over UVU with a career-high 27 points. Also returning for BYU is senior guard Lexi Eaton Rydalch, who earned honorable mention All-America honors last season. BYU returns three starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s squad. As a team, BYU is shooting 44.1 percent (26-of-59) from the field, 45.0 percent (9-of-20) from the 3-point line and 85.0 percent (17-of-20) from the free throw line. The Cougars are averaging 78.0 points per game, while narrowly out-rebounding their opponents, averaging 37.0 per game.

Very familiar opponents, the Aggies and Cougars have met on the hardwood 36 times in the past. The teams battled into double-overtime in the Spectrum last season, where Utah State eventually fell, 62-58.

(Read much more in the full game notes at the Athletics website.)

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.


Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page.

Next Story in Athletics

See Also