The Southern Utah University women’s basketball team played their last game in the America First Event Center for the 2025-26 season. They faced Abilene Christian University for the final time, and dominant performances by the Thunderbirds helped them secure the 78-70 win.
The T-Birds now rise to 19-8 overall on the season, and boast an 11-4 record in conference play. Southern Utah went 2-1 against the Wildcats this season and now takes the second spot in the conference away from ACU.
Abilene Christian fell to 19-8 overall with a conference record of 10-4. This loss puts a halt to a potential three-game win streak.
First quarter
The defense for the Wildcats showed up early, stalling the Thunderbirds ‘ offense. ACU went on a 7-2 run early in the first. Kortney Doman shocked some energy into the Thunderbirds’ offense after stealing two passes and converting them into fast break points. At the close of the first, the Thunderbirds were down 16-10.
Second quarter
Although still trailing, the T-Birds were able to find some rhythm and string together some successful buckets. A tough layup from Bella Hasan helped narrow the lead further.
Ava Uhrich beat the shot clock with a basket, and Charli Kay hit a deep shot before Hasan tied the game with under three minutes left. With less than 60 seconds left, the Wildcats were unable to score, while Uhrich put up a pair of shots inside the paint that tied the game at 26-26 going into halftime.
Third quarter
The Thunderbirds came out of the quarter looking to establish some ground. Sierra Chambers helped them do just that, scoring a triple as well as an and-one layup in 30 seconds.
Southern Utah’s push continued with a pair of threes and another three-point play to give the T-Birds a 54-44 edge going to the final quarter.
Fourth quarter
Uhrich continued her rain of terror on the ACU defense, putting up 11 points in the final period. The Thunderbirds had an eight-point lead with just under a minute remaining when Chambers hit a deep two-point shot to put SUU up by double digits. ACU couldn’t recover, and the Thunderbirds won 78-70.
Key stats
— The Thunderbirds had a phenomenal performance from the field, shooting 51% compared to the Wildcats’ 36%.
— Southern Utah blocked seven ACU shots, while the Wildcats blocked only three of the Thunderbirds’.
— The T-Birds were dominant in the paint, putting up 46 points while the Wildcats only put up 26.
Top T-Birds
— Uhrich secured her ninth double-double in a monster performance. The junior racked up 26 points on 59% shooting from the field and grabbed 13 boards. On the defensive side, she had two steals and two blocks.
— Chambers posted 17 points, including a jump shot that stopped a Wildcat comeback. She also snatched three rebounds and dished out two assists.
— The only senior on the team, Ashley Banks, played well off the bench. She nabbed four rebounds, two assists, and a block in her last game in the AFEC.
— Brooklyn Fely chipped in, adding 13 points of her own. She also snagged eight boards and had three assists.
What’s next?
The Thunderbirds will play their last three games on the road, with their first being a short trip south to face Utah Tech University. The game will be on Saturday, Feb. 28. Tipoff will be at 2 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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Author: Andrew Streeter
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Payson Davis
