LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The fifth-seeded UT Arlington women's basketball team knocked off the fourth-seeded Utah Tech Trailblazers in the Western Athletic Conference Quarterfinals by a final score of 72-57 from inside the Orleans Arena on Thursday afternoon.
 
With the win, the Lady Mavs advance to the WAC semifinals where they will meet the top-seeded California Baptist Lancers on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. central time.
 
Senior forward Avery Brittingham had a monster game, posting a career-high 27 points to go along with 15 rebounds for her second double-double of the tournament and 12th of the season. Her previous career-high in points came against Utah Tech back in February on the road when she posted 22 points. The 15 rebounds are the most boards she's corralled in a Lady Mavs uniform. Brittingham also dished out six assists, had three blocks and one steal in 34 minutes of action.
 
Sophomore guard Nya Threatt had 12 points on an impressive 6-for-8 from the field. She dished out a career-high nine assists as well as securing four rebounds in a team-high 37 minutes of play. Taliyah Clark chipped in with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 28 minutes. 
 
Gia Adams finished with seven points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals in 35 minutes. Adela Valkova added six points while picking up two blocks and four rebounds in 20 minutes. Keiori Lee added six points off the bench along with two rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
The Lady Mavs came out on fire with Brittingham recording the first eight points of the game as UTA jumped out to a commanding 18-2 first quarter lead. The Lady Mavs held the Trailblazers to just two field goals in the first quarter, their most dominating quarter defensively on the season. We headed into the second quarter with UTA leading Utah Tech 20-6.
 
Utah Tech returned the favor in the second quarter, holding the Lady Mavs to just eight points in the quarter while putting up 21, their most points in a quarter for the game. The Trailblazers started the second on a 13-4 run to make it a 24-19 game.
 
The Lady Mavs maintained the lead for the entirety of the second, but Utah Tech managed to cut their deficit all the way down to one after Breaunna Gillen made a turnaround jumper with two seconds left to send us to the half with the Lady Mavs up 28-27.
 
Coming out of the locker room, Utah Tech managed to keep up their momentum going on a 12-4 run to start the third and putting the Trailblazers up by seven, 39-32, their largest lead of the game. The Lady Mavs would respond with a quick 6-0 run highlighted by back-to-back buckets from Brittingham bring UTA back within one, 39-38.
 
The Lady Mavs would use a 6-2 run to end the quarter and take us to the fourth down one, 47-46. Gillen beat the buzzer to put the Trailblazers back on top by one.
 
In a back-and-forth fourth quarter, the Lady Mavs relied heavily on Brittingham who did not disappoint, recording seven of her 27 points in the final quarter.
 
The Lady Mavs took a one-point lead with nine minutes left in the fourth and never looked back, maintaining the lead for the remainder of the game. With 3:52 left in the contest and UTA holding onto a 57-51 lead, the Trailblazers would record a basket to bring the Lady Mavs lead to four. That was the closest that Utah Tech got as the Lady Mavs went on a 9-0 run started by a Clark and one. 
 
UTA would go on to make seven of their last eight shot attempts with Clark and Adams draining three-point attempts to ice the game and give the Lady Mavs the 15 point victory, 72-57.


 
BOX SCORE NUGGETS

• UTA turned the ball over 3 times, their lowest total of the season.
• The Lady Mavs had five blocks on the game, marking their 30th game registering at least one block.
• UTA scored 10 points off turnovers compared to Utah Tech's 5.
• The Lady Mavs had 50 points in the paint to the Trailblazers' 26.
• UTA had 24 assists compared to Utah Tech's 10.
• The Lady Mavs bench outscored Utah Tech's, 10-0.
• Southern Utah led for nine minutes to UTA's 31 minutes.
• Kali Haizlip recorded four points in the win.
• Hannah Humphrey and Alexsyah Goudeau both secured two rebounds each with Goudeau adding one assist.
• The Lady Mavs shot 48-percent from the field for the game compared to Utah Tech's 36-percent.

 
NOTABLES

• The Lady Mavs are now 2-3 in the WAC Tournament, picking up their second straight win of the 2024 tournament.
• UTA moves to the semifinals of the WAC Tournament for the first time ever.
• UTA picked up their first win ever over Utah Tech, moving to 1-3 all-time versus the Trailblazers.
• Avery Brittingham now has 12 double-doubles on the year, tops in the WAC.

 
NEXT UP
UTA will take on No. 1 California Baptist on Friday, Mar. 15, at 2 p.m. central time inside the Orleans Arena.
   
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