CEDAR CITY, Utah– The Southern Utah University women's basketball team clinched the WAC regular-season title Tuesday night by taking down California Baptist 83-75 at the America First Event Center.  Tomekia Whitman led an explosive Thunderbird attack, coming off the bench for a new season-high of 25 points, while Lizzy Williamson had a crucial double-double and inked her name into the all-time SUU record books. The win improves the Thunderbirds to (19-9; WAC 14-2), while the Lancers fall to (16-12; WAC 12-5). 

Individual Leaders 

Williamson continued her monstrous season for the Thunderbirds with a 14-point, 13-rebound, and six-block performance. This showing pushes her into the second all-time in single-season blocks (66) and three rebounds away from second place in single-season rebounds (283).

This victory also puts head coach Tracy Sanders one win away from tying for the most wins in back-to-back seasons by any coach in SUU women's basketball history (37). 

Single Season Blocks 

90; Myndee Larsen (1997-98) 

66; Lizzy Williamson (Active) 

60; Myndee Larsen (1994-95) 

59; Myndee Larsen (1995-96) 

49; Sarah Mortensen (2001-02)

Single Season Rebounds

291; Challis Pascucci (2009-2010) 

286; Chris Tea (1979-80) 

283; Lizzy Williamson (Active) 

268; Challis Pascucci (2010-11) 

267; Mydnee Larson (1997-98) 

Wins in Back-to-Back Seasons 

38; JR Payne (2012-13) (2013-14) 

37; Tracy Sanders (2021-22) (2022-Active)

29; Steve Hodson (2006-07) (2007-08)

TBird Tidbits 

• Tomekia Whitman secured 25 points and nine rebounds on 6-7 shooting from the free throw line. 

• Megan Jensen had a dominant night down low with 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists. 

• Southern Utah controlled the paint the entire night scoring 44 points in the paint to CBU's 34. 

• The Thunderbirds shot a balanced 50.8 percent from the field compared to Cal Baptist's 40.1 percent. 

• Cherita Daugherty currently has 969 total points career points as a Thunderbird, just 31 points away from 1,000 career points. 

• Southern Utah had an efficient outing at the free-throw line shooting 77.8 percent. 

First Half 

After Cal Baptist started the game on a 5-2 opening run, Southern Utah's bigs went to work down low as Williamson drained three straight buckets and Jensen sunk a layup from the low block to grab a 10-8 lead at the 6:14 mark in the first quarter. 

Both teams traded jabs back and forth as the lead changed six times in the next four minutes until the Thunderbirds took control as Jensen hit a turnaround and-one mid-range jumper, Whitman sunk a driving layup, and Samantha Johnston splashed a deep step-back triple to take a 22-18 lead at the end of the period.

SUU kept its foot on the gas to begin the second quarter sprinting out onto a 6-2 run off a Whitman mid-range jumper and two buckets in the paint from Daugherty and Ballena to extend their lead to 28-20 with 7:05 until halftime. Southern Utah stretched its lead to double digits minutes later as Johnston drained a three-pointer and Jensen made a tough contested shot, putting them up 33-23, forcing a Baptist timeout. 

CBU hit their next two shots coming out of the timeout to pull back within six points 33-27 with 4:07 left, but the Thunderbirds closed the half strong as Whitman hit a layup and wide-open three-pointer, and Williamson muscled in a layup off a pick and roll to help the SUU take a 42-31 heading into halftime. 

Second Half 

The Thunderbirds exploded on a 9-5 run out of the halftime break as Daylani Ballena hit a top-of-key three-pointer, and Daugherty canned two jumpers in the paint to give SUU the 51-36 lead halfway through the third quarter. 

Following a California Baptist timeout, Johnston splashed her third triple of the game, but the Lancers responded by rattling off a 6-3 run off two layups and a pair of free throws to bring the deficit back to 54-42 with 3:25 remaining in the third. 

Southern Utah answered by ending the quarter with a jumper and two free throws from Ballena and a Whitman falling down circus shot, putting them up 62-47 going into the final quarter.

Momentum flipped to start the fourth quarter as the Lancers picked up steam and shot out onto a 13-4 run off two straight possessions with threes and a flurry of layups to bring the score within six points, 66-60, at the 6:30 mark in the fourth. 

The Thunderbirds found a response as Whitman hit two jumpers and Jensen split two defenders for a layup to lengthen their lead back to double digits, 72-60, with 4:27 on the clock. Cal Baptist would not go away and clawed back within four points off multiple fast-break layups in their full-court press defense and a corner three, making it 72-68 with under 2:12 minutes to play. 

As the clock ticked under a minute to play, the Lancers turned up the pressure in hopes of creating a turnover but Southern Utah would remain composed as Whitman and Daugherty both hit layups in space before Whitman and Jensen iced the game with two sets of free throws to clinch the 83-75 victory. 

Up Next

Southern Utah will prepare for their final regular season home game on Thursday, Mar. 2, at 6:30 p.m. MST, where they will take on the Grand Canyon Lopes on senior night. The Thunderbirds will have to win Thursday to determine if they are outright champs or co-champs with Stephen F Austin. 

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