The Southern Utah women’s basketball team will face Pepperdine University in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, according to a Mar. 21 announcement. The game will take place at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California.
This matchup marks Southern Utah’s second appearance in the postseason tournament and comes after a season where the Thunderbirds posted a 19-12 record, including a strong 13-1 performance at home. Despite their success during the regular season, Southern Utah enters the contest on a four-game losing streak following an early exit from the Western Athletic Conference postseason.
Head Coach Tracy Mason said: “We’re incredibly grateful for this opportunity to continue playing, and we’re excited to match up against a competitive team like Pepperdine. We’ll need to bring the energy on offense and play as a full defensive unit on Sunday.”
Southern Utah has only played Pepperdine once before, with that meeting taking place in 1988 and resulting in an 86-74 loss for the Thunderbirds. This year’s squad has averaged 72.1 points per game while shooting 42.3% from the field and making 33.1% of their three-point attempts. The team also averages 15.1 assists per game and is ranked second among WNIT teams—and nineteenth nationally—with an average of 41.6 rebounds per game.
Juniors Ava Uhrich and Brooklyn Fely have each recorded more than ten double-doubles this season, placing them both among the top ten single-season rebounders in program history; Uhrich currently ranks second all-time for rebounds in a season. Sophomore Sierra Chambers leads Southern Utah with averages of 14.9 points and 3.8 assists per game, with her total points ranking seventh all-time for a single season at Southern Utah.
Pepperdine enters Sunday’s matchup with a record of 20-12 after defeating UC Davis with a buzzer-beating three-pointer by junior Tajia Sta. Maria in the first round of the WNIT. The Waves average 70.6 points per game while shooting over forty-four percent from the field and thirty-four percent from beyond the arc. Sophomore Elli Guiney leads Pepperdine offensively with fifteen points per game, while junior Preston Shorna contributes defensively with an average of eight point four rebounds.
