LAS VEGAS – The Southern Utah University women's basketball team claimed the Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship in its inaugural season and punched its ticket into the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament with an 82-73 win over California Baptist Saturday evening in Orleans Arena. Cherita Daugherty earned Western Athletic Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors after a career-defining performance of 26 points and eight rebounds. Southern Utah had a high-octane offensive attack with all five of its starters finishing with double digits in scoring. 

TBird Tidbits

• For the second straight game, Southern Utah had a stellar outing distributing the ball, logging 19 assists on 27 made field goals. 

• The Thunderbirds dominated the battle on the boards, corralling 45 rebounds to CBU's 33. 

• All five of the Thunderbirds starters finished in double digits in scoring.

• Southern Utah never trailed in this matchup.

• The T-Birds outshot the Lancers 49.1 percent to 37.3 percent.

 Individual Leaders

Daugherty came up big right from the opening tip, leading the team with 26 points on a remarkable 61 percent shooting from the field while amassing eight rebounds, three assists, and one block. Daylani Ballena added 14 points, and five rebounds while dishing out a game-high seven assists.

Lizzy Williamson and Tomekia Whitman recorded crucial double-doubles. Williamson posted 12 points, 13 rebounds, and three stifling blocks. Whitman turned in a gritty performance, scoring 12 points and 11 rebounds. Megan Jensen shot a perfect 5-5 from the field, finishing with 12 points and five rebounds.  

WAC All-Tournament Team

Most Outstanding Player: Cherita Daugherty 

Megan Jensen

Tomekia Whitman 

Chloe Webb (CBU)

Sila Finau (CBU)

First Half 

Southern Utah exploded out of the gate as Ballena splashed a game-opening three-pointer and Whitman hit a corner pocket triple. Jensen would then go to work down low, hitting two buckets on the low-post to help give the Thunderbirds an early 12-4 advantage at the 5:47 mark in the first. 

After Baptist responded with a quick 6-2 spurt to bring the score within five points,  Daugherty started to heat up and drained an elbow jumper and two free throws to extend SUU's lead back out to 18-9 with 3:43 left in the opening period. 

Following a CBU driving layup, the Lancers switched to their full-court press and pestered the Thunderbird's offensive attack, sparking an 8-3 run to trim their deficit to 21-17 at the end of the first quarter. 

The Thunderbirds remained composed to open the second quarter and began to pierce through CBU's press. Jensen got things rolling by hitting a contested putback layup and a crafty bucket in the post. Daugherty also sank a second-chance pull-up jumper and two more free throws to help push SUU's lead to 28-19 with 5:04 on the clock in the second.  

CBU began to find more life and pulled back within six points, 29-23, from two straight possessions of free throws. Southern Utah remained strong as three consecutive offensive rebounds in the same possession led to a Daugherty pull-up jumper to help put the Thunderbirds up 31-23 at the end of the first half. 

Second Half

 Williamson showed off her range with a smooth jumper from the high post to start the second half for the Thunderbirds. After CBU answered with a driving layup, SUU found a spark as Ballena drilled a mid-range jumper, and Jensen darted a pass to Williamson flashing through the paint for an effortless layup, putting Southern Utah up 37-25 at the 7:03 mark in the third. 

Following a media timeout, Cal Baptist kept the intensity high and began to heat up from deep, hitting three triples to cut the deficit to 41-33 with 3:55 remaining in the quarter. The T-Birds would recapture the momentum immediately as Whitman struck from three and Ballena pickpocketed a steal for a coast-to-coast layup. Samantha Johnston would also be fouled from behind the arc, securing three made free throws and a 53-43 lead for Southern Utah at the end of the third quarter. 

Both teams locked down defensively to begin the final quarter as we saw a nearly three-minute scoring drought until the Lancers made two free throws to break the lull. Each side traded trips to the free-throw line in the next two possessions before Whitman pulled up for a mid-range jumper in space. Daugherty would then slice through the defense for a layup, giving SUU a 59-49 advantage with five minutes remaining in regulation. 

California Baptist wouldn't go away and continued launching threes, getting the Thunderbird's lead down to 63-55 with 3:56 left. Southern Utah continued to find answers as Daugherty canned a and one layup, and Whitman and Jensen both swished free throws to rocket the score back out to 69-56 with under two minutes remaining. 

The Lancers attempted to mount one last comeback, bringing the score back to 77-70 with 1:10 left. The Thunderbirds were too dominant as Daugherty and Ballena went to the free throw line and put the game out of reach, securing the 82-73 victory and the program's first appearance in the NCAA tournament. 

Up Next

Southern Utah will now await the NCAA Tournament Selection Show tomorrow at 6 p.m. MT to determine its next opponent in the round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament. 

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