By Kale Nelson, SUU Athletics
CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Southern Utah women’s basketball team retained their undefeated record at home and in the Western Athletic Conference with a 76-68 win over Utah Valley University on Jan. 8. The triumph pushes the Thunderbirds to a 11-4 record overall and a 3-0 record in the WAC, while the Wolverines drop to 9-6 overall and 2-2 in the conference.
Top T-Birds
- Junior superstar Ava Uhrich notched her sixth double-double of the year in another dominant outing. She racked up 16 rebounds, five assists, and 20 points while shooting 53.3% from the field.
- Despite missing significant minutes due to foul trouble, sophomore Sierra Chambers and junior Brooklyn Fely pieced together solid nights. Chambers totalled 13 points on 55.6% shooting from the field, and Fely recorded 10 points and nine rebounds.
- Acting as a critical spark while filling in for the starters, junior Morgan Trigueiro drained an impressive four of her six three-point attempts.
- As a team the Thunderbirds shot 52.8% from the field and a scorching 57.9% from three.
Game Recap
First Half
The game tipped off into a neck-and-neck battle, and junior Brooklyn Fely’s three early baskets allowed Southern Utah to keep the game knotted. However, the Thunderbirds opened an outstanding 12-1 run, buoyed by triples from juniors Ava Uhrich and Morgan Trigueiro. SUU doubled UVU’s first-quarter score, leading 22-11 at the close of one.
The Wolverines opened the second quarter with a concerted comeback effort, but Trigueiro turned a spark into a bonfire with three more triples. She closed up the first half with 80% accuracy from the perimeter, leading Southern Utah to a 39-29 advantage.
Second Half
A wide-open corner three from sophomore Devyn Kiernan boosted the Thunderbirds ahead by 15, but Utah Valley hit its stride and cut the deficit to single-digits with three minutes left in the third. SUU answered in style, with triples from Kiernan and sophomore Sierra Chambers making for a 57-44 lead.
UVU began to creep back in range with a 13-0 run in the fourth, but an eight-point quarter from Sierra Chambers kept them at bay for a 76-68 Southern Utah win.
Up Next
Southern Utah will aim to protect their perfect record at home against the California Baptist University Lancers on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 2:00 p.m. in the America First Event Center. The game can be viewed live on ESPN+.
Tickets
Season tickets, mini packages, and single-game tickets are now available! Get yours today by visiting tbirdtickets.com.
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