SEATTLE, Wash. – The UT Arlington women's basketball team (7-8, 3-2 WAC) are looking to extend their winning streak to seven games with a Saturday afternoon matchup against Seattle U (1-13, 1-4 WAC) at 3 p.m. central time from inside the Redhawk Center.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING
The Lady Mavs are currently riding a 6-game win streak, surpassing their best streak from a season ago and tying their second-best win streak in the past five seasons, which came during the 2021-2022 season. Their longest in those five seasons was an eight-game win streak during the 2019-2020 season.
'NET' SO FAST
With the non-conference slate over, the Lady Mavs hold the best Net-Non-Conference Strength of Schedule in the WAC. UTA is the only WAC team to crack the top-100, coming in at 71. UTA also moved up a spot to claim the fourth highest NET ranking in the WAC, only behind Grand Canyon, California Baptist, and Stephen F. Austin.
THE MACHINE
Avery Brittingham was named one of the five U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week for her performance this past weekend. She is coming off her first triple-double of the season, her first in a Lady Mavs uniform and second career triple-double. She is 5th in the NCAA and 2nd in the WAC. Her triple-double came against her former team, SFA. She has also posted a double-double in six contests so far this season. This has her ranked 40th in the country and sits alone at the top of the WAC leaderboards.
Brittingham has also been a menace on the boards so far this season, averaging 8.5 rebounds per contest to lead the Lady Mavs which also has her ranked 83rd in the NCAA and 1st in the WAC. In 15 games, Brittingham has pulled down 127 rebounds, 1st in the conference and 73rd in the country. She seems to be at her best on the defensive end where she averages 7 boards per game on defense, which is 2nd in the WAC and 28th in the NCAA.
GOOD AS ADVERTISED
Sharpshooter
Taliyah Clark leads the team with 13.1 points per game and is third on the squad with 3.7 rebounds per game. Clark averages 1.80 three pointers made per contest, which is the 6th best mark in the WAC. During the win streak, she is averaging 16 points per contest along with 4.3 rebounds per game.
Gia Adams is the third leading scorer on the Lady Mavs averaging 11.5 points per game while also averaging 31 minutes played per game which is tops on the team. Adams is second on the team with 50 assists and 23 steals through 15 games.
CZECH MATE
5th year transfer Adela Valkova has found her groove diuring the win streak, posting double digits in all six contests while averaging 15.7 points per game to go along with 7 rebounds per contest. Valkova is shooting 63.9-percent from the floor in those six games while averaging 29.3 minutes of play. At Jacksonville State, she posted a career high 21 points to help lead the Lady Mavs to victory. Matched her career high of 8 rebounds while setting a new career high of 5 blocks at Utah Valley.
FREEBIES
The Lady Mavs are one of the best teams in the country when it comes to getting to the free throw line, averaging 19.87 free throw attempts per game. This is the 54th best mark in the country and 2nd best in the WAC.
The 14.33 free throws made per game has the Lady Mavs 3rd in the WAC and 54th in the NCAA while their 72.1-percent from the charity stripe is 3rd best in the conference.
SHARING IS CARING
The Lady Mavs are one of the best teams in the WAC when it comes to dishing out the rock. They average 15 assists per game which is the 3rd best mark in the WAC and the 87th best mark in the NCAA.
Adams in 4th in the WAC in assist/turnover ratio (1.56) and is 10th in the conference averaging 3.3 assists per contest. Brittingham is 7th in the conference averaging 3.7 assists per game.
BLOCK PARTY
The Lady Mavs average 3.9 blocks per game, which is tops in the WAC and 80th overall in the NCAA. Valkova leads the charge with 23 blocks on the season, which is 1st in the conference and 68th in the NCAA. She averages 1.53 blocks per game which is 2nd in the WAC and 74th overall in the country. Meanwhile Brittingham has 17 blocks on the season, 5th best mark in the conference and averages 1.13 blocks per contest which is 5th in the WAC.
THE PRICE IS WRIGHT
Head coach
Shereka Wright just overtook Cindy Salser (1976-79) for the sixth most wins in school history with 52 after a win against Tarleton State on Jan. 4. After the victory over Utah Valley, Wright now has 54 wins and trails Krista Gerlich (121), Donna Capps (119), Connie Kelch (117), Mike Dean (115) and Samantha Morrow (74). Wright's .574 winning percentage is the best in program history.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the fifth overall meeting between the two programs, dating back to UTA's first stint in the WAC back during the 2012-13 season. UTA dropped both matchups that season. The Lady Mavs lone win came last year during the regular season, a 75-49 win in Seattle. The Redhawks defeated the Lady Mavs in the opening round of the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas last year.
SCOUTING SEATTLE U
The Redhawks come in on a 7-game losing streak, their lone win of the season coming at the start of conference play, a 58-48 victory over Utah Valley back on Nov. 29, 2023. As a team, Seattle U averages 13.8 offensive rebounds per game, which is 64th in the NCAA and 2nd in the WAC. They average 9.9 steals a game , the 5th best mark in the WAC and 68th best overall mark in the NCAA. Mya Moore is 2nd in the WAC and 88th in the NCAA with 21 blocks. Moore averages 1.5 blocks a game, 3rd best mark in the WAC and 78th in the NCAA.
NEXT UP
The Lady Mavs wrap up their 3-game road trip with a stop down south to Edinburg to take on UT Rio Grande Valley from inside the UTRGV Fieldhouse. Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m.
– #BuckEm –
FOLLOW ALONG
For updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, be sure to follow the women's basketball program on Twitter (@UTAMavsWBB), Instagram (@UTAMavsWBB) and Facebook (/UTAMavsWBB).
