MALIBU, Calif. - The season comes to an end for the Southern Utah women's basketball team after they dropped an 85-80 road shootout against Pepperdine on Mar. 22 in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. Despite making an incredible 17-point comeback to retake the lead over the Waves, the Thunderbirds ran out of steam just short of the finish line. They close the campaign with a 19-13 overall record.
Top T-Birds
- Junior Ava Uhrich put on one of her best shows of the season with 29 points and 15 rebounds. Her 11th double-double game of the year also included three blocks and three assists.
- Piling onto the scoring spree, junior Brooklyn Fely added 26 points of her own. She chipped in eight rebounds and a team-high five assists.
- Sophomore Kortney Doman played exceptionally well, tallying nine points, nine rebounds, four assists, and a team-high four steals.
Head Coach Tracy Mason Said:
"We really struggled to get going in the start of the game, but I'm incredibly proud of how hard we battled to get back into it. Even though we didn't finish it out with a win, I think the grit we showed today is something we'll carry into next year."
Game Recap
First Half
Junior Brooklyn Fely and sophomore Sierra Chambers got the Thunderbirds started with a triple each, but the Waves quickly took control with a dominant 14-0 run. Southern Utah's drought pushed them to a 26-12 deficit at the end of the first quarter.
Despite allowing Pepperdine to take a 17-point lead in the early second, SUU showed significant signs of life in the second quarter. Chambers sank another three-pointer, while Fely and Uhrich combined for 18 second-quarter points. Southern Utah trailed only 45-38 in the midst of a comeback attempt.
Second Half
A huge Pepperdine run allowed the Waves to pull back to a 17-point advantage, but once again, the Thunderbirds snatched some much-needed momentum. A fierce tip-in layup for sophomore Kortney Doman and a huge and-one bucket for Uhrich buoyed SUU to an 8-0 run and a 68-60 game with a quarter left to go.
Southern Utah continued its momentous comeback in the fourth, with Uhrich erupting onto a game-changing scoring spree. After contributing seven points in the first four minutes, she dished the ball to Doman for a lead-securing triple. However, the Waves retook the lead and forced the Thunderbirds to start sending them to the charity stripe. Even with a three-pointer from Fely thrown in the mix, the Pepperdine foul shooting boosted the home team to an 85-80 victory.
Highlights
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