The Southern Utah women’s basketball team will play against UT Arlington in the Western Athletic Conference quarterfinals on March 12 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The matchup follows Southern Utah’s sweep of the Mavericks during the regular season and marks their fourth meeting this year.
This game is significant as it represents Southern Utah’s final appearance in the WAC Tournament, with a chance to advance to the semifinals. Head Coach Tracy Mason said: “This is our final WAC Tournament, and the team is very excited for one last chance at a championship. It’s really tough to beat a strong team like UT Arlington four times, so we’ll have to lock in for a full 40 minutes.”
Southern Utah enters the tournament as the third seed with a 19-11 overall record and an 11-7 mark in conference play. The Thunderbirds were picked last in the preseason poll but finished third in the standings, narrowly missing out on a postseason bye. Their offense averages 72.3 points per game, ranking third in the conference, while their rebounding average of 41.8 boards per game leads the WAC and ranks seventeenth nationally.
Key players include junior Ava Uhrich, who was named to the All-WAC First Team and averages 14.2 points and a conference-high 9.9 rebounds per game, and junior Brooklyn Fely, who earned All-WAC Second Team honors alongside leading scorer Sierra Chambers (15.1 points per game). Uhrich and Fely have combined for more double-doubles than any other team in the conference.
UT Arlington holds an overall record of 11-20 after defeating Utah Tech in postseason play to reach this round. Despite challenges throughout their season, freshman Kira Reynolds has led her team with averages of 12.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game.
Tickets for Thursday’s quarterfinal are available online through orleans.boydgaming.com.
