AZUSA, Calif. – The Azusa Pacific women's basketball team (4-4, 1-1 PacWest) returns to the Felix Event Center tonight to host Chaminade University in a PacWest Conference clash. The Cougars will look to defend a pristine historical record against the Silverswords, entering the matchup with a 19-0 all-time series lead.
Scouting the Cougars Head coach Dan Ploog's squad is looking to bounce back after a tough road loss to Concordia (67-53) on December 6. Despite the setback, the Cougars have shown flashes of dominance at home this season, holding a 2-1 record at the Felix Event Center, including a 32-point victory over Menlo earlier this month.
The Cougars feature a balanced offensive attack with three players averaging double figures. Junior guard Lauren Jones leads the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game, providing a consistent perimeter threat. She is joined in the backcourt by Audrey Sayoc, who is stuffing the stat sheet with 10.4 points per game and a team-high 4.6 assists per contest.
In the frontcourt, Rachel Roderick has been a force on the glass. The forward is nearly averaging a double-double, posting 10.0 points and a team-leading 7.8 rebounds per game. Her presence will be vital for a Cougar team that holds a slight +1.3 rebounding margin over opponents this season.
Keys to the Game
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Defensive Pressure: The Cougars are disrupting opponents with active hands, averaging 10.3 steals per game. Turning defense into offense will be key to controlling the tempo against Chaminade.
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Protecting the Paint: APU is averaging 5.0 blocks per game, double the average of their opponents (2.5). Establishing rim protection early will force the Silverswords into difficult shots.
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Ball Security: To secure a win tonight, APU will need to clean up their ball handling. The team currently holds a 0.7 assist-to-turnover ratio and will look to improve on their average of 18.8 turnovers per game.
Series History Azusa Pacific has dominated the head-to-head matchup, winning all 19 previous meetings with Chaminade. The Cougars will look to make it 20 straight tonight as they jockey for position in the early PacWest standings.
Game Info Tip-off is scheduled for tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the Felix Event Center. Fans can follow the live stats and stream on the APU Athletics website.
