CEDAR CITY, Utah - After defeating California Baptist University earlier this season with a thrilling last-second layup from Daylani Ballena, the Southern Utah University women's basketball team will rematch against the Lancers at home on Thursday, Feb. 6. The Thunderbirds will then hit the road to face Abilene Christian University on Saturday, Feb. 8.

Head Coach Tracy Mason Said:

"California Baptist and Abilene Christian are both tough teams that will capitalize on mistakes, so taking care of the ball and staying consistent on defense is going to be important this week."

Game One Details

Who: Southern Utah University (4-17, 2-6 WAC) vs California Baptist University (7-14, 4-3 WAC)

When: Thursday, February 6 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: America First Event Center, Cedar City

Watch: ESPN+

Live Stats: HERE

Game Two Details

Who: Southern Utah University (4-17, 2-6 WAC) vs Abilene Christian University (13-9, 2-5 WAC)

When: Saturday, February 8 at 12:00 p.m.

Where: Moody Coliseum, Abilene, Texas

Watch: ESPN+

Live Stats: HERE

Matchup History

• Southern Utah won their matchup with California Baptist earlier this season on the road in a 10-point fourth-quarter comeback. The 64-63 victory extended the Thunderbirds' head-to-head record against the Lancers to 5-3.

• The Thunderbirds have a 0-2 road record against ACU but won their lone home matchup against the Wildcats.

The Thunderbirds

Last week, Southern Utah nearly pulled off a Thursday upset over the UT Arlington Mavericks (No. 2 in the Western Athletic Conference) in a 62-58 defensive showdown. 

Since the start of WAC play, the Thunderbirds' shooting has improved, with the team now hitting 39.6% of their shots from the field. The passing game and paint performance have consistently been a strength, with SUU ranking No. 5 in the WAC in assists, offensive rebounds, and defensive rebounds. On the defensive side, the Thunderbirds average just over three blocks a game.

Lexi Bull captains coverage of the boards for SUU, sitting at No. 3 in the WAC in rebounds per game since starting conference play with 8.5. Daylani Ballena's strong performance in recent weeks has led to her emergence as the team's leading scorer with 10.5 points per game, while Sydney Gandy has continued to specialize from the perimeter, ranking fifth in the WAC in three-point field goals made.

Scouting Report

California Baptist University Lancers

The 7-14 Lancers are 4-3 since starting conference play, with their biggest advantage being strong shooting from outside the arc. While CBU sinks 31.4% of their three-pointers, Southern Utah will look to exploit California Baptist's defensive weaknesses, as they have allowed over 70 PPG this season.

Averaging 14.1 PPG, Grace Schmidt leads the scoring for her team and stands at No. 3 in the WAC in rebounds per game with 7.6. Tu'ua Aniyah, who also averages over ten PPG, ranks third in the conference in assists with 5.5 per game.

Abilene Christian University Wildcats

The Wildcats pieced together a strong 13-9 overall record, but ACU is just 2-5 since starting conference play. Coming off an 87-84 shootout loss to Cal Baptist, their offense ranks third in the WAC with 71.9 PPG.

Last year's WAC Freshman of the Year and the conference's leading scorer for the 2024-2025 season, Payton Hull, racks up an impressive 18.6 PPG. Veteran presence Bella Earle chips in 14.3 PPG and ranks fourth in the WAC in rebounds per game with 7.3. Earle also ranks fifth in the WAC in assists with 4.1 per game. 

Tickets

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