The Southern Utah University women’s basketball team will return home to Cedar City to face their in-state rival Utah Tech University on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 6:30 p.m. before Grand Canyon University on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. Both games will be played in the America First Event Center and can also be viewed on ESPN+.
“We are looking forward to being home this week against UT and GCU. Thursday is our pink game, which is a very special night for us as we come together to raise cancer awareness while honoring survivors as well as the loved ones we’ve lost,” said head coach Tracy Mason. “We hope that the community and SUU can help us support a cause that is much bigger than basketball.”
Utah Tech
Entering this week, Utah Tech is 13-9 overall and 7-4 in the Western Athletic Conference, putting them at fourth place in the WAC resume seeding. In their last matchup on Jan. 18, Utah Tech beat Southern Utah 78-71 led by guard Macie Warren who led all scorers with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Utah Tech is the only team in the WAC with three players listed in the conference’s top 10 in both scoring and field goal percentage. Breaunna Gillen is averaging 16.21 points and shooting 47.7%. Maddie Warren scores 16.18 points per game and shoots 44.7% from the field, while Macie Warren averages 14.6 points per game and 48.9% shooting from the field.
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon, No. 1 in the conference, will enter their matchup against Southern Utah with a record of 19-4 overall and 11-1 in the WAC. The Lopes are on a three-game winning streak and have won 11 of their last 12. GCU has nine players shooting above 42% from the field with forward Laura Erikstrup leading the Lopes at 56.8%.
Grand Canyon ranks first in the WAC and No. 11 in the nation in opponent scoring, allowing just 54.3 points per game. Grand Canyon’s defense was on full display in their last matchup against Southern Utah, holding them to just 19 points on 7/23 shooting in the first half.
Southern Utah
Southern Utah comes into this week 6-14 overall and 4-7 in conference play. They’re coming off an overtime win against the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in which senior guard Samantha Johnston had a season-high 18 points on 3/9 shooting from three.
Guard Daylani Ballena leads the Thunderbirds in scoring, averaging 14.8 points per game on 40.1% shooting from the field. Freshman forward Ava Uhrich ranks No. 10 in scoring in the WAC at 13.25 points, fifth in rebounds at 7.6 and fourth in field goal percentage at 48.4%.
Southern Utah is 4-1 all-time against Utah Tech and 4-4 against Grand Canyon.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: Anden Garfield
Editor: Anden Garfield
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