Utah State Notes | Watch Live | Live Stats

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State women's basketball (1-1, 0-0 MW) continues its 2020-21 campaign with a pair of games this week as the Aggies take on Seattle (0-2, 0-0 WAC) on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m., at the Redhawk Center in Seattle, Wash., then return home to host BYU (1-1, 0-0 WCC) on Monday, Dec. 7, inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
Radio coverage for both of this week's games will be provided by 92.3 KBLU-LP with Jaden Johnson on the call. Thursday's game will be broadcast by the WAC Digital Network, while Monday's contest can be seen on The Mountain West Network. Live stats and play-by-play information will be available through StatBroadcast for Thursday's game and Sidearm for Monday's contest. Links to each option will be available online prior to the game.
 
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS
The all-time series is tied, 2-2, with the most recent meeting between the two teams coming in the 2019-20 season when Utah State defeated Seattle in Logan, 70-63. The Redhawks finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 13-16 overall mark, and a 6-9 record in league play to finish the season eighth in the WAC.
 
This season, Seattle is averaging 60.5 points per game, shooting 34.4 percent (42-of-122) from the field, 16.7 percent (6-of-36) from behind the 3-point line and 70.5 percent (31-of-44) at the free throw line. Redshirt junior guard McKenzi Williams leads Seattle's scorers, averaging 20.0 points per game. Redshirt junior forward Chinwe Ezeonu leads all players on the glass with 5.0 rebounds per game.
 
Defensively, the Redhawks have allowed 99.0 points per game this season, with opponents shooting 51.5 percent (70-of-136) from the field, 33.3 percent (19-of-57) from behind the arc and 73.6 percent (39-of-53) at the free throw line. Junior guard Bree Calhoun leads the team in both steals (7) and blocks (2). 
 
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
BYU leads the all-time series, 37-4, with the most recent contest coming last season in Provo, where BYU earned a 67-50 victory. The Cougars finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 18-11 overall mark, and a 13-5 record in league play to finish third in the West Coast Conference.
 
This season, BYU is averaging 57.5 points per game, shooting 38.6 percent (39-of-101) from the field, 40.9 percent (18-of-44) from behind the 3-point line and 90.5 percent (19-of-21) at the free throw line. Sophomore guard Shaylee Gonzales leads BYU's scorers, averaging 17.5 points per game. Sophomore forward Lauren Gustin leads all BYU players on the glass with 12.0 rebounds per game, while senior guard Maria Albiero leads the squad with six assists.
 
Defensively, the Cougars have allowed 64.0 points per game this season, with opponents shooting 41.3 percent (45-of-109) from the field, 32.6 percent (15-of-46) from behind the arc and 69.7 percent (23-of-33) at the free throw line. Gustin leads the team in steals with five, while junior forward Malli Perri leads the squad with two blocks. 
 
STARTING OUT STRONG
With an 81-74 win over Montana on Nov. 25, Utah State head coach Kayla Ard became just the third head coach in program history to win their first game at the helm. She was the first coach to accomplish this feat since Cindy Perkins in 1978-79. Fern Gardner (1974-75) is the only other Aggie coach to do so. 
 
SHE'S A FRESHMAN?
Through two games, freshman guard Meagan Mendazona leads the Aggies in scoring with 17.0 points per contest. The Monmouth, Ore., native made a splash in her collegiate debut, going for 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four blocks and four steals while shooting 8-of-13 from the field against Montana.
 
SHE'S A FRESHMAN? - PART II
Mendazona's 18 points against Idaho State was the most by a USU freshman in their debut since Katie Toole scored 22 against Sacramento State in 2015-16.
 
JUST KEEP SCORING
Utah State's 81 points against Montana marked just the second time in as many seasons that the Aggies have scored 80-plus points in regulation against a Division I opponent. USU's only 80-point performance last season came in the first round of the Mountain West Championships, an 81-79 overtime win over San Diego State.
 
GUARDS CAN REBOUND, TOO
In USU's 61-85 loss to Idaho State, senior guard Emmie Harris led the team with a career-high 11 rebounds, crushing her previous career-high of six, a mark which she hit three times. 
 
STARTING NEWCOMERS
In each of the first two games of this season, Utah State has included three newcomers in its starting lineup. Harris and sophomore guard Faith Brantley are joined by Mendazona, graduate guard/forward Jessica Chatman and freshman guard/forward Halle Nelson.
 
AGGIES VS THE WAC
USU will face Seattle on Thursday, a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Historically, the Aggies are 29-28 against teams that currently play in the WAC.
 
AGGIES VS THE WCC
Utah State will face BYU on Monday, a member of the West Coast Conference. Historically, the Aggies are 17-57 against teams that currently play in the WCC.