CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah University women's basketball team remains at home in Cedar City, entering their first Western Athletic Conference matchup of the year against a talented Grand Canyon University Lopes team on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Head Coach Tracy Mason Said:
"Saturday is the start of a new season. I'm excited to get WAC play underway and it's nice to open up at home. GCU is the best team in the conference and is playing really well. They are tough, physical, and a very defensive-minded team."
Game Details
Who: Southern Utah University (2-11, 0-0 WAC) vs Grand Canyon University (13-2, 0-0 WAC)
When: Saturday, January 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Where: America First Event Center, Cedar City
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: HERE
Matchup History
The Thunderbirds
With a 2-11 record on the season, Southern Utah has work to do entering an opportunity to start fresh in conference play. Despite struggles on both ends of the court, Southern Utah's strength has been in dominating the paint and moving the ball.
Between their last two games, the Thunderbirds have racked up 11 blocks, making them No. 4 in the WAC in blocked shots per game. They also clean up the glass on the offensive end, ranking fourth in offensive rebounds per game. In addition, Southern Utah holds the No. 2 spot in the conference for assist-to-turnover ratio (0.92).
After a 17-point game against the Cal Poly Mustangs on Dec. 28, Ava Uhrich leads the team with 10.7 points per game, shooting 51.3% from the field. Sydney Gandy pieces together 9.8 PPG and has seven assists in each of her last two games. She currently stands in the WAC's top ten in assists per game.
Jaeden Brown leads the team's strong paint presence, totaling a team-leading 70 rebounds this season, holding the No. 4 spot in defensive rebounds per game. Ashley Banks contributes in the paint on defense, with 14 blocks putting her in the WAC's top five.
Scouting Report
Grand Canyon University Lopes
Ranked No. 1 in the 2024-25 WAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the 13-2 Lopes ride an 11-game winning streak into their game with SUU.Â
They score a WAC-leading 79.1 PPG and shoot an outstanding 49.5% from the field as a team. While their scoring is impressive, Southern Utah will look to capitalize on the glass, as GCU ranks eighth in the WAC in offensive rebounds per game.
The Lopes are the only team in the WAC with a higher assist-to-turnover ratio than the Thunderbirds, so both teams will have to disrupt the other's passing game to find success.
GCU presents a balanced scoring attack from a strong lineup. They have four players in the WAC's top-ten scorers and each averages over 12 PPG. Alyssa Durazo-Frescas leads this group with an average of 15.3 points, shooting a WAC-leading 47.6% from three. Defensively, GCU's Trinity San Antonio and Tiarra Brown lead the WAC in steals.
Tickets
Season tickets, mini packages, and single-game tickets are now available! Get yours today by visiting tbirdtickets.com
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