A week after earning their first win of the season, the Southern Utah University women’s basketball team is heading to Reno, Nevada to compete in the Nugget Classic.
Southern Utah will first play the University of Portland on Friday, Nov. 29, at 4 p.m. Following that game, SUU will face the University of Nevada on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. The final of the three games will be against Central Michigan University on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 12 p.m.
All games can be streamed on ESPN+.
Southern Utah
The Thunderbirds come into this weekend 1-5 on the season. Although SUU has played a tough non-conference schedule, they have struggled to keep games close. The Thunderbirds have a -13.5 point differential, giving up 73.7 points per game.
Southern Utah has seen a balance in the scoring, having three different girls averaging nine points per game. Sydney Gandy and Ava Uhrich lead the T-Birds, scoring 9.7 points per game. Gandy also leads the team with 16 made three-pointers on the year.
Portland
Portland enters the week 5-0 on the season, having two notable wins over Western Athletic Conference opponents Seattle University and California Baptist University. Portland is a high-flying offensive team averaging 84.2 points per game.
Maisie Burnham leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game on 53.3% shooting from the field, 40% from three and 84.4% from the free-throw line. Burnham’s partner in crime, Emme Shearer, is second on the team in scoring with 14.2 points per game.
Nevada
The Wolfpack are 3-3 on the year and are coming off a win against Morgan State University. Nevada as a team has inconsistently shot the ball well, shooting only 39% from the field.
Dymonique Maxie has been a force on the defensive side. The sophomore from Hayward, California leads the team with 13 steals and five blocks on the season.
Central Michigan
It has been a slow start to the season for CMU, as they will come into the tournament 0-4 on the year. Central Michigan has struggled shooting the ball from the perimeter, averaging just 4.5 made three-pointers per game while also shooting 21.7% from three.
Lisa Tesson and Riley Smith have been the one bright spot from behind the arc for CMU. Tesson and Smith have hit a combined 11 threes on the year, and both are averaging over 40% from three.
Southern Utah is 1-3 all-time against Portland, 2-1 against Nevada, and this game will be the first matchup in the program’s history against Central Michigan.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: Margaux Feret
Copy Editor: Kayd Johanson
