ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington women's basketball team return to action for the next four games inside the College Park Center beginning with the Wildcats of Wiley University on Monday, Dec. 30, in UTA's final tune up before conference play starts. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. and it's Alumni Day and the first 150 fans will receive a UTA ugly sweater t-shirt.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first ever meeting between the two programs. Wiley is a member of the HBCU Athletic Conference, formerly known as the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). This is the third time this season that the Lady Mavs have faced an opponent for the first time in program history (Arlington Baptist & Purdue).
 
SCOUTING WILEY
The Wildcats hold a 6-7 overall record on the year so far and are currently riding a five game win streak. They hold a 2-3 record on the road. Wiley has already started conference play and hold a 4-3 conference record.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Lady Mavs claimed their 100th victory inside the friendly confines of the College Park Center with a win over Abilene Christian back on Jan. 20, 2024. After a victory over FIU, the Lady Mavs now sport a 106-68 overall record and a perfect 3-0 record in 2024-25 at the CPC. UTA seems to be at their best when playing in front of the home crowd.
 
KICKIN' IT WITH KOI
Fifth year transfer Koi Love is establishing herself as one of the premier players in the Western Athletic Conference not just on the offensive end but the defensive side of the ball as well.
 
Through 10 games, Love is averaging 16.3 points per game, which is currently the second best mark in the WAC and the 115th best mark in the nation as of 12/28. Love has put up 163 total points in the Lady Mavs' 10 games, which is eighth in the conference. She has made 67 field goals in the early going, which is seventh in the WAC. Love's 49.6 field goal percentage is the third best mark in the WAC and 98th overall. She is also tied for third in the WAC with three 20 point performances.
 
Love's 26 steals are the seventh most in the WAC and 112th in the NCAA. Her average of 2.60 steals per game is the third best mark in the conference and 44th nationally.
 
ALL AROUND HOOPER
Avery Brittingham is showing why she's a Preseason All-WAC selection in the early portion of the season. Through 10 games, she has already posted a triple double which has her ranked fourth in all of NCAA Division I.
 
She is second in the league in rebounds per game at 8.4 and 92nd nationally. She has four 10 rebound performances on the season which is the second most in the WAC.
 
In the early part of the season, Brittingham has posted four double doubles through 10 games which is tops in the league and 46th in the country. She is currently second on the team in points per game at 12.7.
 
Brittingham's 38 total assists lead the team while her average of 3.8 per game are the fifth best mark in the conference. Her 10 assist game against Arlington Baptist is one of seven 10 assist outings this year in the WAC.
 
IF IT'S FREE, IT'S FOR ME
As a team, the Lady Mavs are one of the best teams in the conference and the nation in getting to the free throw line in the early part of the season, averaging 21.60 free throw attempts per game, which is the best mark in the WAC, and 22nd nationally. Their average of 13.90 free throws made per game is tops in the league and 52nd nationally.
 
Brittingham's 58 total free throw attempts is the fourth best mark in the conference and the 91st best nationally.
 
YOUNG VETERAN
Koi Love was named the Western Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Week for the second time this season after her performances against FIU and UTSA. 
 
A fifth-year guard from Orlando, Fla., Love averaged 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and 1.5 blocks for the Lady Mavs, who split a pair of games against Florida International and UTSA this past week. 
 
In the win over FIU, Love finished with 17 points, going 8-for-14 from the floor and 1-for-3 from deep. She also added seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals in 32 minutes. In the loss to UTSA, she finished with 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, while adding seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 28 minutes.
 
Love currently leads the Lady Mavs in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game while averaging 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.6 steals and one block per game on the season.
 
DEFENSIVE INTENSITY
The Lady Mavs force 19.40 turnovers a game, the fourth best mark in the WAC and the 72nd best in the NCAA.
 
Their 10.2 steals per contest are the fourth best mark in the conference and 68th in the country.
 
The Lady Mavs have the fourth best turnover margin in the WAC and the 100th best in the NCAA at 2.60. Brittingham has the third best assist to turnover in the WAC at 1.90 and is the 90th best mark in the country.
 
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
The Lady Mavs are one of the best in the conference when taking care of the basketball. They average 16.8 turnovers per game, which is the fourth best mark in the conference and the 175th best in the nation.
 
GRABBINGS BOARDS ON TOP OF BOARDS
Avery Brittingham is proving once again that she is one of if not the best rebounder in all of the WAC. 
 
Her 8.4 rebounds per game are the second best mark in the conference and the 92nd best mark in the country.
 
She has four 10 rebound performances on the season which is the second most in the WAC.
 
STILL THROWING A BLOCK PARTY
The Lady Mavs are still one of the better shot blocking teams in the WAC a year later after leading the league and having two of the top shot blockers in the conference a season ago.
 
UTA has 40 blocked shots through 10 games as a team, the third highest total in the conference (Utah Valley - 50 in 12 games & Tarleton State - 50 in 14 games). Averaging an even four blocks per game, the second best mark in the conference and 74th nationally. Avery Brittingham averages 1.2 blocks per game, the third best mark in the WAC and 129th nationally. Koi Love is tied for sixth in the conference with one block per game. 
 
In 10 games, the Lady Mavs have posted at least one block in each contest. Their best block performance as a team came against Arkansas when they had nine, the second most by a WAC team on the season and have two other games on the year where they posted seven apiece.
 
BIG FISH, NOT THE LITTLE ONE
Freshman guard Kendal Robinson is beginning to hit her stride, her last five games she is averaging 6.4 points per game while averaging around 17.4 minutes a game.
 
She is coming off her second best performance of her young collegiate career on the road at UTSA, Robinson tied her career bests in points with 10 while going 3-for-5 from the field and a career best 4-for-5 from the charity stripe.
 
MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS
The Lady Mavs best free throw performance in the past five seasons came against UTSA, where UTA hit 18 of their 19 free throws for .947 percent. This is the third time during Coach Wright's tenure where the Lady Mavs shot .900 or better from the charity stripe. Back during Coach Wright's first season at the helm during the 2020-21 season, the Lady Mavs were a perfect 9-for-9 at Arkansas State on Feb. 26. On Jan. 30 while hosting Arkansas State, the Lady Mavs connected on 18 of their 20 free throw attempts for a .900 average. The .947 percent is the second best percentage under Coach Wright's tutelage and is the best mark when attempting 15 or more free throws.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The UT Arlington women's basketball team dropped their final non-conference road game to UTSA by a final score of 76-61 inside the Convocation Center on Thursday, Dec. 19. 
 
In the 64th all-time meeting between the two programs, UTSA picked up their 30th win in the all-time series. The Lady Mavs now lead the all-time series 34-30 after the loss and now holds an 11-19 record inside the Convocation Center. 
 
The Lady Mavs had four players reach double figures in scoring led by Koi Love who had a team-high 17 points. It was her second straight 17-point game and the ninth time she's reached double digit points. Love also grabbed seven boards while dishing out three assists to go along with two steals in 28 minutes.
 
Avery Brittingham, Kendal Robinson and Taliyah Clark each finished with 10 points. Brittingham added two rebounds, two assists along with a pair of steals in 30 minutes. Robinson added a rebound and an assist in 16 minutes. Clark also added three rebounds and an assist in 27 minutes off the bench.
 
As a team, the Lady Mavs had their best showing at the free throw line this season, going 18-for-19 from the charity stripe for 95-percent. From the field, UTA shot 33-percent and 28-percent from deep.
 
UTA forced the Roadrunners into 21 turnovers which led to 22 points for the Lady Mavs. 
 
The Lady Mavs came out stagnant to start the game despite winning the opening tip, recording their first basket after five minutes.
 
Through two quarters, both teams hoisted up 31 shots. The difference being that the Lady Mavs connected on eight of those compared to the Roadrunners 17. 
 
The Lady Mavs' best scoring quarter came in the third when they put up 21 points. Their best scoring run of 8-0 came in the fourth quarter where the Lady Mavs were able to cut the lead down from 25 to 17.
   
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 X (formally known as Twitter) (@UTAMavsWBB), Instagram (@UTAMavsWBB) and Facebook (/UTAMavsWBB).