In the middle of their worst three-game stretch of the year, the Southern Utah University women’s basketball team is set for two games in three days this week. They’ll end the current road trip in a match against Utah Valley University on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. before hosting Utah Tech University on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m.
Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Southern Utah
After starting the season with a bombastic 11-4 standing, the Thunderbirds have lost their last three games to make it 11-7 with a 3-3 Western Athletic Conference record. Their matchup against Utah Tech on Dec. 29 was their last double-digit win.
SUU still holds the second-best overall record in the WAC, sitting three games behind Abilene Christian University. The T-Birds are tied for third in the conference standings, with Tarleton State University sharing their 3-3 record and ACU sharing a 5-1 record with California Baptist University.
Over their losing streak, one of the most apparent struggles for the team has been shooting. All three games saw the T-Birds shoot under 40% from the field and under 30% from three. Last game, they made three triples in 17 attempts, with starters going 1-12.
In the same vein, SUU’s ball handling has been a point of contention this year. They’ve only had three games without 10 or more turnovers this season, and have hit over 20 three times in the last five games. Shot selection and ball control will be major areas to watch in these games.
Utah Valley
The Wolverines have a lukewarm 9-8 record and hold a 2-4 conference standing. They’re also on a three-game losing streak and have scored less than 70 points in their last four matches.
UVU has been experiencing many of the same issues as SUU lately. They’ve shot 22.8% from three over their losing streak and have struggled with turnovers, giving up more than 20 per game many times this month.
Utah Valley has also struggled with their defensive identity. While they grabbed 18 offensive rebounds last game, they had an uncharacteristic off-ball performance with eight steals. What might sound like a lot for most teams isn’t for the Wolverines, as they average 17 steals per game.
UVU’s top scorer and shooter is Amanda Barcello. The redshirt senior also averages 2.4 steals per game, which surprisingly places her third on the team in the category.
SUU and UVU are battle-tested opponents, with the T-Birds holding a 21-10 record against the Wolverines. Southern Utah won all but one of the last seven matchups.
Utah Tech
The Trailblazers have been the worst team in the conference this year, holding a 6-10 record and 1-5 WAC standing. They’ve dropped eight of their last 10 but picked up a win against UVU on Jan. 10.
The Wolverines are the only team Utah Tech has beaten that boasts a winning record this year. The Trailblazers also have an 0-5 record in away games, which should be promising for the T-Birds’ hopes of winning.
UVU’s top player this year has been Kaylee Borden. The redshirt senior leads her team in points and field goal percentage while ranking second in assists.
SUU and UTU are also familiar foes, and Southern Utah claims a 14-7 all-time record in their head-to-heads. The T-Birds have won eight of the last 10 matchups dating back to 1980.
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Author: Payson Davis
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Brooklyn Beard
