LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The fifth-seeded UT Arlington women's basketball team (15-15, 11-9 WAC) will square off against the eighth-seeded Southern Utah Thunderbirds (8-21, 6-14 WAC) on Wednesday, Mar. 13, afternoon at 2 p.m. central time in the opening round of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament inside the Orleans Arena.
 
The winner of the game will advance to the quarterfinals against fourth-seeded Utah Tech on Thursday, Mar. 14, at 2 p.m. central time.
 

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Game 31	UT Arlington (15-15, 11-9 WAC) vs Southern Utah (8-21, 6-14 WAC)
Date | Time	Wednesday, Mar. 13 | 2:00 PM CT
Location	Orleans Arena (9,500)
Video	ESPN+
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Tickets	Here
Game Notes	UT Arlington

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 5th overall meeting between the two programs, with their first matchup dating back to November of 2004. The Lady Mavs are a perfect 4-0 in the series, which includes a season sweep of the Thunderbirds this year. This will be the first time the two have met in postseason play.
 
SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH
The reigning WAC Tournament Champions come into this year's tournament as the 8th overall seed. Daylani Ballena has been the catalyst for the Thunderbirds all season long, averaging 15.7 points per game in 29 games played. She leads the team with 106 assists and 34.6 minutes played a game. Ava Uhrich leads the team with 214 total rebounds for an average of 7.4 per contest. Samantha Johnston has drained 72 three pointers to pace the Thunderbirds while leading the team with 27 steals and 30 blocks.
 
ADAMS BOMB
Gia Adams was selected to the league's First Team in her first season donning the orange and blue. The junior guard out of Cypress, Texas started in all 30 games on the season which include the team's 20 conference games. In those 20 WAC games, Adams averaged a team-high 16.6 points per game while averaging 14.9 points for the entire 30-game slate to also lead the team and is the 7th highest margin in the WAC. Her 446 total points for the year is the 6th highest mark in the conference as well as the most points she's scored in a season in her three-year collegiate career.
 
One of the more consistent shooters in the league, Adams shot an impressive 45.0-percent on the season, the 6th best percentage in the WAC. Her free throw percentage of 82.6-percent has her at the top of the WAC leaderboards as well as 82nd overall in the nation among qualified players (Min. 2.5 made per game & must have played in 75-percent of team's games).
 
Adams has the second most made three-pointers made in a game in the WAC with eight which came against Southern Utah at home. She helped the Lady Mavs offense to a 5th overall ranking in the WAC in scoring, 4th in field goal percentage and 2nd in three-point field goal percentage. Her lone 30-point performance came in the final game of the season at California Baptist which is tied for the 3rd most in the league and her highest point total in a Lady Mavs uniform. Adams' six 20-point performances is tied for the 6th most in the conference.
 
Not just a top scoring guard in the league, Adams also dished out the rock while protecting it with the best of them. Her assist/turnover ratio of 1.67 was the 5th highest in the conference among qualifying players (Min. 3 assists per game while playing in 75-percent of team's games). Her 100 total assists is tied for 9th overall in the league while her 3.33 assists per game is the 12th most in the WAC among qualifying players (Must have played in 75-percent of team's games). Defensively, Adams has 47 steals on the year which is tied for the 8th most in the WAC while her 1.57 steals per game has her 12th in the league. Adams proved to be a durable guard, averaging 32.39 minutes played per contest, the 11th best mark in the conference.
 
Adams registered her 1000th collegiate point on the road at Grand Canyon via a three-pointer for the top of the key. Adams won the WAC Newcomer of the Week four times in a row during the season, making her the first player in WAC history to win four consecutive weekly awards. This is also her second All-Conference selection in her collegiate career, winning the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year award back in the 2021-22 season.
 
ALL-AROUND HOOPER
Avery Brittingham was named to the league's Second Team, earning her second All-WAC selection and second straight in her career. The first time was last season when she was a member of Stephen F. Austin and named to the First Team. Brittingham has been a Jill-of-all-trades in her first season in Arlington, leading the Lady Mavs in several categories as well as being near the top of the conference leaderboards in several statistical categories. 
 
Brittingham's 243 total rebounds are the top mark within the conference and 94th in the NCAA while her 8.10 rebounds per game has her 3rd in the WAC and 98th nationally. On the defensive end, she's corralled 185 defensive rebounds which is the 2nd most in the league while her 6.17 average of defensive rebounds per game is the 3rd best mark in the WAC.
 
One of the most dominating defenders in the paint within the conference, Brittingham's 39 blocks along with her 1.30 blocks per game are both the 3rd best marks in the league and 2nd best on the team behind teammate Adela Valkova who leads the league in both categories. The 39 blocks also have her ranked 98th in the country. Her 46 steals are the 10th most in the WAC while her 1.53 steals per game is the 15th best mark in the conference.
 
Offensively, Brittingham averages 12.20 points per game which has her ranked 17th in the WAC while 4th on the Lady Mavs. Her 366 total points on the season in the most points she's put up in a season during her four-year collegiate career. Brittingham leads the Lady Mavs with 118 total assists on the year, which is the 4th most in the conference. Her 3.93 assists per game is the 4th highest mark in the WAC among qualifying players (Must have played in 75-percent of team's games).
 
Brittingham led the conference in double-doubles with 10 while being 2nd in 10-plus-rebound games with 10. Her lone triple double and second of her collegiate career came against her former team in Stephen F. Austin. The triple double has her 2nd in the WAC and 7th in the NCAA.
 
Brittingham registered her 1000th career point in the most poetic way, on the road against her former team in Stephen F. Austin. She also recorded her 700th career rebound during the course of the year.
 
With UTA's two selections this year, that makes four total in the Lady Mavs three-year history in the WAC with the other two selections coming last season in Starr Jacobs (First Team & WAC Player of the Year) and Kayla White (Second Team). During the Lady Mavs first stint in the WAC back in 2012-13, UTA did not have anyone named to the All-WAC teams.
 
TICKET PUNCHED
After a victory over Southern Utah on Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Lady Mavs punched their ticket to WACVegas. UTA currently sits in fourth place in the current WAC standings.
 
'NET' SO FAST
The Lady Mavs NET Non-Conference Strength of Schedule was the highest in the WAC, coming in at 76. Played two top-15 teams in the country (at the time #11 Texas and at the time #8 Colorado). Lamar won the Southland Conference regular season title. Started the year off with South Florida who made the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons. UTA holds the 6th highest NET ranking (199) in the WAC, behind Grand Canyon (93), California Baptist (123), Stephen F. Austin (148), Abilene Christian (179) and Utah Tech (192).
 
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
The Lady Mavs are looking for their first ever win in the WAC Tournament in their third trip. They fell last season to Seattle U and during the 2012-13 season when they fell to New Mexico State
 
SHARPSHOOTERS
As a team, the Lady Mavs are shooting 33.0-percent from beyond the arc. This is the 2nd best mark in the conference, behind Utah Tech, despite taking the 10th most attempts in the WAC. It's also 89th overall in the nation. UTA shoots 42.3-percent from the floor which is the 4th best mark in the conference and the 108th best mark in the NCAA.
 
Taliyah Clark leads UTA with 58 made three pointers on the season, which is the 6th most in the WAC. Her 1.93 three pointers per game is 8th best in the conference. She is 2nd on the team with 12.7 points per game and is third on the squad with 4.0 rebounds per game.
 
CZECH MATE
5th year transfer Adela Valkova has found her groove during conference play, posting double digits in 11 WAC contests. Valkova is 4th on the team, averaging 9.3 points per game and is 2nd on the squad with 5.2 rebounds per game. Against Utah Tech at home, she grabbed her 100th rebound of the season. 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 three times, last coming at UTRGV while setting a new career high of 5 blocks at Utah Valley. Has posted at least one block in all but three of the past 10 games, and has one block in all but eight of the 30 games played this year. Has four blocks in a game on four separate occasions.
 
CRASH THE GLASS
The Lady Mavs average 36.67 rebounds per game, which is the 5th best mark in the WAC.They average 26.1 defensive rebounds per contest, which is the 3rd best mark in the conference and the 108th best mark in the country.
 
Brittingham leads the conference with 234 total rebounds on the season, which has her 94th in the NCAA. Her 8.1 rebounds per game have her 3rd in the WAC and 98th in the country.
 
FREEBIES
The Lady Mavs are one of the best teams in the country when it comes to getting to the free throw line, averaging 19.43 free throw attempts per game. This is the 48th best mark in the country and 3rd best in the WAC.
 
The 13.60 free throws made per game has the Lady Mavs 3rd in the WAC and 62nd in the NCAA while their 70.0-percent from the charity stripe is the 9th best mark in the conference.
 
THE FACILITATORS
The Lady Mavs dish out the rock with the best of them in the WAC and NCAA while also taking care of the ball. They average 15.5 assists per game which is the 3rd best mark in the WAC and the 54th best in the nation. Their assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.00 is the 4th best mark in the conference and 85th best in the NCAA.
 
Adams is 6th in the WAC and 108th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio (1.67), has 100 assists on the season averaging 3.33 assists per game which has her 13th in the WAC. Brittingham checks in near the top of the leaderboard in conference in total assists with 118 on the year, the 4th best mark in the WAC. She is 5th in the WAC averaging 3.93 assists per game. Nya Threatt is third on the Lady Mavs with 82 assists on the season, averaging 2.87 assists a game. Threatt matched her career high and posted a season's best with seven assists five weeks ago versus CBU.
 
YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO THE BLOCK PARTY
As a team, the Lady Mavs have 126 blocks on the year, averaging 4.20 blocks per game, which is tops in the WAC and 48th overall in the NCAA. 
 
The two headed monster of Valkova and Brittingham lead the charge for the Lady Mavs. Valkova has 46 blocks on the season, which is 1st in the conference and 62nd in the NCAA. She averages 1.53 blocks per game which is 1st in the WAC and 65th overall in the country. Meanwhile Brittingham has 39 blocks on the season which is the 3rd best mark in the WAC and 98th overall in the nation. She averages 1.30 blocks per contest which is 3rd best in the WAC.
 
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
The Lady Mavs have used the same starting lineup for the majority of the season, 25 out of the 30 games played this year. Out of those 25 times, two were to start out the year while the last 23 games, since Dec. 2, the Lady Mavs have utilized the same starting lineup.
 
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 Southern Utah, Wright now has 62 wins and trails Krista Gerlich (121), Donna Capps (119), Connie Kelch (117), Mike Dean (115) and Samantha Morrow (74). Wright's .569 winning percentage is the 3rd best in program history.
 
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 Southern Utah, the Lady Mavs now sport a 103-67 overall record at the CPC. UTA seems to be at their best when playing in front of the home crowd.
 
IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Basketball is a family affair for several people, and that's no different for some Lady Mavs. Transfer Avery Brittingham is following in the footsteps of her brother, Hayden Brittingham, who spent the 2021-22 season as part of the UT Arlington men's basketball team. Incoming freshman, Miraya Perkins, is the daughter of former North Carolina Tar Heel, Olympian and 17-year NBA veteran, Sam Perkins.
 
UT ARLINGTON BY THE NUMBERS
Milestone Wins
100th win - 65-50 vs Texas Woman's on Nov. 13, 1979
200th win - 64-51 vs Texas Wesleyan on Feb. 2, 1987 (in Fort Worth, Texas)
300th win - 73-55 vs Nicholls State on Feb. 15, 1996
400th win - 67-63 at Louisiana Monroe on Feb. 1, 2003
500th win - 54-41 vs Texas A&M - Corpus Christi on Jan. 26, 2008
600th win - 65-58 vs Appalachian State on Feb. 13, 2016
700th win - 60-40 at Arkansas State on Feb. 26, 2021
750th win - 67-53 vs Utah Valley on Mar. 2, 2024
 
By The Decade
1972-82: 147-135 (.521)
1982-92: 109-165 (.398)
1992-02: 135-141 (.489)
2002-12: 169-132 (.562)
2012-22: 161-131 (.551)
2022-present: 29-32 (.475)
Overall: 750-736 (.505)
   
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).