In a season with a lot of ups and downs, head coach Tracy Mason and the Southern Utah University women’s basketball team battled a lot of adversity, fighting through a tough schedule and a new look roster. Southern Utah finished the season 9-21 on the year and 7-9 in the Western Athletic Conference.
SUU really struggled against a demanding non-conference schedule, including games against the University of Utah, University of Colorado, Boulder and Central Michigan University. Southern Utah held a 2-11 non-conference record, with their two wins against Division II schools.
After starting WAC play slowly, the T-Birds found their rhythm on Feb. 13 when SUU defeated Utah Tech University 69-66. This propelled a four-game win streak, and SUU finished 5-1 over the last six games.
SUU’s season ended in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas against Tarleton State University, 59-40 on Mar. 12. Seniors Sydney Gandy and Daylani Ballena led SUU with nine points each.
The seniors
This wouldn’t be a season review without focusing on the five seniors who made a lasting impact on not only their fellow teammates and coaches but also this program at Southern Utah. The T-Birds were led by Daylani Ballena, Sydney Gandy, Lexi Bull, Samantha Johnston and Jaeden Brown.
All five seniors combined to average 36.2 points per game, making up 60.3% of the points scored per game. These five seniors all started at least 10 games and significantly impacted each game they played.
Ballena, a graduate student from Kent, Washington played all five seasons at Southern Utah, starting 120 games over the five-year career. Ballena led the team, averaging 11.5 points per game, 36 steals and 84 assists on the year.
After playing at the University of Idaho for three years and one year at Loyola Marymount University, Gandy finished her final collegiate career at Southern Utah. The guard from Long Beach, California started 29 games for SUU and had four games with four or more three-pointers.
Like Gandy, Bull came to SUU in her final collegiate basketball season. Bull, a forward from Pocatello, Idaho was a dominant force on the boards and defensive end for the Thunderbirds. Bull started in every conference game, ranking No. 3 in the WAC, averaging 7.88 rebounds per game in conference play.
Like Ballena, Johnston had the opportunity to play all five years at SUU. Johnston sketched her name into the record books this year, becoming the all-time leader in career three-pointers with 264 and first all-time in career games played with 140 at SUU.
After taking a year off due to her child’s birth, Brown returned for her senior season and didn’t disappoint. Brown brought a high energy off the bench, averaging 15 minutes per game and leading the team with 28 blocks.
Brown made her presence known against her old team, recording 10 blocks in two games against Utah Valley University.
Notable playmakers
Despite coach Mason relying heavily on her seniors, SUU saw two different freshmen and a sophomore play a pivotal role for the T-Birds. Freshman guards Sierra Chambers and Kortney Doman made impacts late in the season, helping SUU return to the WAC Tournament.
Chambers led all first-year students, averaging four points per game, including a season-high 16 points against Utah Tech on Feb. 27. The freshman from Danville, California, also led the team in shooting 83% from the free-throw line.
Doman appeared in all 30 games, averaging 10 minutes per game. Doman was fifth on the team in steals with 17 and recorded a season-high 13 points on 5/7 shooting from the field against California Polytechnic State University on Dec. 28.
After an excellent freshman season, sophomore forward Ava Uhrich continued to be a leader on and off the court for the T-Birds. Uhrich, a forward from Burlingame, California finished second on the team, averaging 10.5 points per game.
Uhrich played her best basketball at the end of the year. In her last 10 games, Uhrich averaged 12.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. With many gaps to fill, coach Mason and the rest of the coaching staff will lean on Chambers, Doman and Uhrich to lead the T-Birds next season.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: Gannon Lovisa, SUU Athletics
Editor: Chevy Blackburn
