CEDAR CITY, Utah - Four players scored in double figures for the Southern Utah University women's basketball team as the Thunderbirds fell to Eastern Washington 86-77 in the season opener at the America First Event Center on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The T-Birds move to 0-1 overall, while the Eagles improve to 1-0 on the season.
HEAD COACH TRACY MASON SAYS
"Eastern Washington is a great team, they're going to have a great season. We've always had a tough preseason schedule and I think it's a great time to expose the things that we need to work on. You have to learn from the takeaways and be ready for the next game."
Link to Full Post-Game Interview
T-BIRD TIDBITS
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Prior to the game, the Thunderbirds unveiled the 2022-23 Western Athletic Conference Championship banner.
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Megan Smith played an impressive all-around game, racking up 16 points, five rebounds, and three blocks for SUU.
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Daylani Ballena helped fuel the Thunderbirds' offense with 16 points and four assists.
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Freshmen Ava Uhrich (16) and Charli Kay (11) were impressive in their collegiate debuts, with both players scoring in double figures.
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Samantha Johnston led the squad with five assists to go along with eight points.
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Shiho Isono tallied three steals to lead the Thunderbirds.
GAME RECAP
First Half
Megan Smith hit the first three field goals for SUU, adding eight points as the T-Birds trailed the Eagles by five (14-9) midway through the first quarter. Eastern Washington managed to stay in front, as the Eagles took a 22-16 advantage at the end of the period.
The Eagles stayed hot offensively to start the second quarter, jumping in front by as much as 12 points (39-27). Charli Kay found her stride for SUU, scoring seven points in the period to help SUU trim the lead back to single-digits, 41-32, at the half.
Second Half
The Thunderbirds dominated the third quarter, as they outscored the Eagles 27-14. Ava Uhrich chipped in nine points over the run to give Southern Utah a 59-55 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Eagles answered with a commanding 31-18 stretch during the final period of play. Despite nine fourth quarter points from Daylani Ballena, Eastern Washington fought back to claim a 86-77 victory.
NOTABLE PLAYS
UP NEXT
The Thunderbirds will have a quick turnaround as they host Western Kentucky on Friday, Nov. 10. The game is slated to tip-off at 6:30 p.m. MT.
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For all the latest on Southern Utah women's basketball, follow @SUUWBasketball on Twitter and Instagram and like the Southern Utah Women's Basketball Facebook page.
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