CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah University women's basketball team, winners of 11 of its last 12 games, returns to the America First Event Center for a two game homestand.
First up, Southern Utah will host UTRGV on Thursday Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. MT. Then, SUU will take on Stephen F. Austin in a midday match on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2:00 p.m. MT.
Game Info
Southern Utah vs. UTRGV
Date: Thursday, Feb. 16
Tip-off: 6:30 p.m.
Live Stream | Live Stats
Southern Utah vs. Stephen F. Austin
Date: Saturday, Feb. 18
Tip-off: 2:00 p.m.
Live Stream | Live Stats
WAC Standings
The Western Athletic Conference is different from most conferences when it comes to seeding its teams, as the standings factor in non-conference play into its rankings.
So, even though Southern Utah has a better record in conference play, it ranks second to Stephen F. Austin due to non-conference play.
This week, SUU faces ninth-seeded UTRGV and top-seeded Stephen F. Austin.
2022-23 WAC WBB Resume Seeding System (as of Feb. 13)
|
Rank
|
Team
|
W
|
L
|
CW
|
CL
|
WACPts
|
|
1.
|
Stephen F. Austin
|
21
|
4
|
11
|
2
|
5.66
|
|
2.
|
Southern Utah
|
15
|
8
|
11
|
1
|
2.65
|
|
3.
|
Grand Canyon
|
17
|
7
|
9
|
4
|
1.86
|
|
4.
|
Utah Tech
|
15
|
8
|
7
|
5
|
0.61
|
|
5.
|
California Baptist
|
13
|
11
|
9
|
4
|
0.30
|
|
6.
|
Sam Houston
|
11
|
12
|
7
|
5
|
-1.10
|
|
7.
|
NM State
|
12
|
13
|
7
|
6
|
-1.99
|
|
8.
|
UT Arlington
|
11
|
14
|
5
|
8
|
-2.12
|
|
9.
|
UTRGV
|
9
|
14
|
3
|
9
|
-3.63
|
|
10.
|
Abilene Christian
|
11
|
13
|
5
|
8
|
-3.65
|
|
11.
|
Tarleton
|
7
|
17
|
1
|
12
|
-7.01
|
|
12.
|
Seattle U
|
4
|
18
|
4
|
8
|
-7.63
|
|
13.
|
Utah Valley
|
6
|
18
|
3
|
10
|
-8.01
|
PREVIEW
SOUTHERN UTAH (15-8, 11-1 WAC)
National Rankings!
Southern Utah ranks among the top in the country in several categories.
Total Rebounds/Game - TEAM
1. Troy, 51.64
20. Southern Utah, 42.39
Rebound Margin - TEAM
1. South Carolina, 21.4
17. Southern Utah, 8.2
33. Stephen F. Austin, 7.1
Total Blocks/Game - TEAM
1. South Carolina, 9.5
24. Southern Utah, 4.7
T-Bird Tidbits
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The Thunderbirds boast an 11-1 conference record.
-
Southern Utah has already clinched its spot in the WAC tournament next month.
-
The Thunderbirds score 67.2 points a game while holding their opponents to 65.0 points each game.
-
Cherita Daugherty leads the T-Birds attack with 14.9 points per game.
-
Lizzy Williamson averages a double-double by scoring 10.0 points a game and snatching a team-high 10.1 rebounds per game.
-
Megan Jensen (11.4) and Daylani Ballena (10.8) also score in double digits for the Thunderbirds.
-
Ballena orchestrates the offense with 3.8 assists a game.
Last Time Out
First Half
In the second matchup between these two I-15 foes, the Thunderbirds would get things rolling fast as Williamson drained three early buckets, and Johnston and Daugherty hit back-to-back threes to help give SUU the 16-8 lead with 4:27 remaining in the first quarter.
Coming out of the first media timeout, Johnston splashed two straight triples, and Ballena hit a pull-up mid-range jumper, but Utah Valley started to find life and closed the quarter on a 6-3 run to bring the score to 24-16.
After the Wolverines connected from deep to start the quarter, Southern Utah would halt that run with a crafty Alexa Lord layup and Johnston's fourth made three-pointer of the first half to extend the lead to 31-20 at the 7:46 mark.
As the quarter progressed, both sides began to trade buckets back and forth until the Devil Bears hit three-pointers on two straight possessions to cut the deficit to 38-32 with under three minutes left.
Southern Utah found an answer right away as Ballena and Jensen struck from distance before Jensen sliced through the defense for a tough contested layup to send the Thunderbirds into the half with a 46-34 advantage.
Second Half
UVU began the second half by rattling off a 6-0 run to bring the score back to single digits, 46-37, at the 9:02 mark in the third quarter.
The Thunderbirds put a stop to UVU's spurt with an explosive 11-2 run of their own, highlighted by an ankle-breaking step-back three-pointer from Johnston and three tough buckets from Jensen to push Southern Utah in front 57-41 with 3:59 remaining in the quarter.
Southern Utah earned its largest lead after Johnston and Ballena each sunk threes, putting them in front 63-44 with 2:32 left, but the Wolverines would close out the quarter with a pull-up jumper and two made free throws to make the score 63-48.
Utah Valley opened the fourth quarter by catching fire from downtown. The Devil Bears bolted out on a 13-2 run off three consecutive possessions with made three-pointers and two layups that brought the home side within six, 69-63, with under five minutes left to play.
The Thunderbirds terminated this run with a Ballena mid-range jumper, but the Wolverines would not go away easily, hitting three free throws and a layup to put them back in striking distance 71-68 with 2:28 on the clock.
On the following possession for the Thunderbirds, Jensen would corral a clutch second-chance rebound and would get fouled to send her to the line, where she drilled both free throws giving the Thunderbirds some breathing room with under 90 seconds to play. Utah Valley came right back with two free throws of their own to pull back within three points.
Following a missed SUU three-pointer, the Wolverines had a chance to tie the game with under a minute to play, but a locked-down Thunderbird defense thwarted that opportunity and helped send Johnston to the free-throw line, where she clinched the 75-70 victory for Southern Utah.
UTRGV VAQUEROS (9-14, 3-9 WAC)
The Vaqueros own a 9-14 record with a 3-9 mark in conference play.
UTRGV scores 60.5 points a game compared to its opponents 67.0 each game.
Iyana Dorsey leads the squad with 15.0 points a game.
Deborah Ogayemi corrals a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game, while Jena' Williams dishes out 2.7 assists for the Vaqueros.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN LADYJACKS (21-4, 11-2 WAC)
The Ladyjacks own a 21-4 record with a 11-2 effort in WAC play.
Stephen F. Austin scores 77.3 points per game while holding its competition to only 59.2 points a game.
Four Ladyjacks score in double digits with Aiyana Johnson (14.0), Jordan Harrison (11.4), Avery Brittingham (10.2), and Kurstyn Harden (10.0) all scoring over 10 points a game.
Brittingham grabs 8.1 rebounds per game, while Harrison passes out 4.9 assists a game.
History
Southern Utah leads the series against UTRGV 4-0, with the latest meeting resulting in a 84-55 victory by the Thunderbirds.
SUU has never faced Stephen F. Austin.
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