CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah University women's basketball team will travel to Texas for their first road matchups since the start of Western Athletic Conference play. On Thursday, Jan. 9, the Thunderbirds will face off against the Tarleton State University Texans in Stephenville before traveling northeast to play the University of Texas Arlington Mavericks on Saturday, Jan. 11.
Head Coach Tracy Mason Said:
"Tarleton and UTA are both very good teams. We are excited for another opportunity to compete and be better."
Game One Details
Who: Southern Utah University (2-12, 0-1 WAC) vs Tarleton State University (9-7, 0-1 WAC)
When: Thursday, January 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Wisdom Gym, Stephenville, Texas
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: HERE
Game Two Details
Who: Southern Utah University (2-12, 0-1 WAC) vs the University of Texas Arlington (6-6, 1-0 WAC)
When: Saturday, January 11 at 1:00 p.m.
Where: College Park Center, Arlington, Texas
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: HERE
Matchup History
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Southern Utah stands at an even 2-2 record with Tarleton State. Their most recent matchup was decided by only six points, with the Texans winning 69-63.
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The Thunderbirds have yet to pick up a win against conference opponent UTA, with the Mavericks' most recent win knocking Southern Utah out of the 2024 Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament.
The Thunderbirds
After losing their first conference game to a rolling Grand Canyon University team riding a double-digit winning streak, Southern Utah looks to right a difficult 2-12 season against two Texas foes.
Despite the tough stretch, SUU ranks No. 4 in the WAC in both offensive rebounds, with 12.5 per game, and blocked shots, with 3.0 per game. In the upcoming Texas games, Southern Utah will need to utilize its strong paint presence and an effective passing attack that yields 14.7 assists per game.
Leading this attack, Sydney Gandy has racked up 44 assists on the season. In addition, she serves as Southern Utah's strongest shooter from the perimeter, ranking in the WAC's top five for three-pointers made. Forward Ava Uhrich leads the team in scoring, averaging 10.4 points per game, while Lexi Bull, despite having started only one game, has emerged as the team's leading rebounder with 71 total boards.
Scouting Report
Tarleton State Texans
The 9-7 Texans dropped their first WAC game of the season to the UTA Mavericks in an 87-79 shootout despite ranking No. 1 in the WAC in scoring defense leading into the game. Against the typically stingy Tarleton State defense, Southern Utah will look to capitalize on a low-scoring offense that ranks eighth of nine conference teams.
The Texans are led by a dynamic duo of senior guard Arieona Rosborough, who leads the team in scoring with 12.8 PPG, and sophomore center Faith Acker, averaging a team-high 5.8 rebounds.
UT Arlington Mavericks
Ranked No. 3 in the 2024-25 WAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, UT Arlington stands at an even 6-6 record after their win over Tarleton State last Saturday. With a strong offense that averages 71 PPG and doesn't turn the ball over often, the Mavericks' biggest weakness lies in three-point shooting, where they rank last in the WAC in accuracy.
Koi Love, the second-highest-scoring player in the WAC, leads UTA's scoring attack. Love averages 17.5 PPG on 52.1% shooting from the field, also leading the defense in both steals and blocks. Meanwhile, UT Arlington's Avery Brittingham averages an outstanding 9.3 rebounds per game on the boards.
Tickets
Season tickets, mini packages, and single-game tickets are now available! Get yours today by visiting tbirdtickets.com
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