STEPHENVILLE, Texas - In their second Western Athletic Conference matchup of 2025, the Southern Utah University women's basketball team fell to the Tarleton State University Texans 64-53. Southern Utah dropped to 0-2 in the WAC and 2-13 overall, while Tarleton State moved to double-digit wins at 10-7, holding a 1-1 conference record.
Head Coach Tracy Mason Said:
"I think there were some good takeaways from this game. We battled at the end and made a push. The effort and the fight were there, and we've been missing that. We must build off this game as we head into Saturday."
Top T-Birds
- Daylani Ballena led the Thunderbirds in scoring with 13 points, shooting five-of-eight from the field and chipping in six assists.
- Ava Uhrich scored eight points in addition to five rebounds.
- In her first performance against her former team, transfer Lexi Bull strung together seven points and five boards.
Game Recap
First Half
After a slow start from both teams, Sydney Gandy took the lead and got the score rolling with a fast-break three-pointer. After Lexi Bull added a fast-break layup for the Thunderbirds, Tarleton State found their first-quarter rhythm, going on an 11-3 run to take a 17-10 lead.
Daylani Ballena started to take over the Southern Utah offense, scoring jumpers on back-to-back possessions to begin the second quarter. Ballena and the rest of the Thunderbirds made it to the charity stripe often, draining nine of ten from the line, but Tarleton State pulled away to an 11-point lead going into halftime.
Second Half
Strong play from Tarleton State's defense held SUU to a quiet quarter, but Sierra Chambers sank a three to spur a few more Southern Utah scores. Heading into the final quarter, TSU held a sizable lead in a 56-37 game.
In the fourth, Samantha Johnston drained two triples while Ballena added to her totals. Despite Southern Utah fighting to a nine-point game, the Thunderbird effort wasn't enough to avoid a 64-53 loss.
Highlights
Up Next
The Thunderbirds will continue searching for a conference win in their road battle with the University of Texas Arlington on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 1:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
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Season tickets, mini packages, and single-game tickets are now available! Get yours today by visiting tbirdtickets.com.
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