RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UT Arlington women's basketball team (15-14, 11-8 WAC) will conclude the regular season with a matchup against California Baptist (24-3, 16-2 WAC) on Thursday inside the Fowler Events Center at 8 p.m. central time.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 4th overall meeting between the two programs, with their first matchup dating back to last season. CBU leads the overall series 3-0. This will be the second trip to the Fowler Events Center for the Lady Mavs. The Lady Mavs dropped a heart-breaker earlier in the year, falling 94-92 inside the College Park Center.
SCOUTING CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
The Lancers are led offensively by Chloe Webb who averages 21.4 points per game which is tops in the WAC and the 12th best mark in the country. She is 49th in the nation with 192 field goals on the season while her 171 free throw attempts is the 22nd best mark in the NCAA.As a team, the Lancers make 9.8 three pointers a game, tops in the conference and the 5th best mark in the country. Their 19.1 assists per game is 1st in the WAC and 8th overall in the NCAA. They hold a perfect 13-0 record at home.
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
UTA holds the 5th highest NET ranking (196) in the WAC, behind Grand Canyon (90), California Baptist (128), Stephen F. Austin (145) and Abilene Christian (187).
ALL-AROUND HOOPER
Avery Brittingham has done a little bit of everything this season for the Lady Mavs. The senior out of Fort Worth leads the Lady Mavs in rebounding (234 total and 8.1 RPG), in total assists (112), second on the team in blocks (38), in minutes played per game (29), and third on the team in offense (358 total points and 12.3 PPG). In 29 games, she has 10 double-doubles and one triple-double. The 10 double-doubles not only leads the team but the WAC, while the latter has her 7th in the NCAA and 2nd in the WAC. Her triple-double came against her former team, SFA. She has been named one of the five U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week once so far this season, this came for her performance nine weeks ago.
ADAMS BOMB
Lady Mavs junior guard
Gia Adams has been named the WAC Newcomer of the Week for a record four straight times this season, being dethroned earlier this week. She leads the WAC in that category.
On the season, Adams is the leading scorer for the Lady Mavs, averaging 14.3 points per game while also averaging 32 minutes played per game. Her 14.3 PPG is the 5th best mark in the WAC while her 416 total points is the 3rd best mark in the conference. She recently scored her 1000th career point, which came via a three pointer on the road at Grand Canyon. She leads the Lady Mavs with 47 steals for the year while her 44.3 field goal percentage is 4th best in the WAC.
SHARPSHOOTERS
As a team, the Lady Mavs are shooting 32.3-percent from beyond the arc. This is the 3rd best mark in the conference despite taking the 9th most attempts in the WAC. It's also 117th overall in the nation. UTA shoots 42.3-percent from the floor which is the 3rd best mark in the conference and the 111th best mark in the NCAA.
Taliyah Clark leads UTA with 57 made three pointers on the season, which is the 3rd most in the WAC. Her 1.97 three pointers per game is 4th best in the conference. She is 2nd on the team with 12.9 points per game and is third on the squad with 3.8 rebounds per game.
CZECH MATE
5th year transfer Adela Valkova has found her groove these past 20 games, posting double digits in all but six contests. Valkova is 4th on the team, averaging 9.5 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 two of the past 10 games, and has one block in all but seven of the 29 games played this year.
YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO THE BLOCK PARTY
The Lady Mavs average 4.3 blocks per game, which is tops in the WAC and 43rd 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 53rd in the NCAA. She averages 1.59 blocks per game which is 1st in the WAC and 58th overall in the country. Meanwhile Brittingham has 38 blocks on the season which is the 2nd best mark in the WAC and 91st overall in the nation. She averages 1.31 blocks per contest which is 2nd best in the WAC.
CRASH THE GLASS
The Lady Mavs average 36.62 rebounds per game, which is the 5th best mark in the WAC.They average 25.9 defensive rebounds per contest, which is the 3rd best mark in the conference and the 115th best mark in the country.
Brittingham leads the conference with 234 total rebounds on the season, which has her 89th in the NCAA. Her 8.1 rebounds per game have her 3rd in the WAC and 99th 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 19.31 free throw attempts per game. This is the 53rd best mark in the country and 3rd best in the WAC.
The 13.59 free throws made per game has the Lady Mavs 4th in the WAC and 69th in the NCAA while their 70.4-percent from the charity stripe is the 7th 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 15.3 assists per game which is the 3rd best mark in the WAC and the 60th best in the nation. Their assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.00 is the 3rd best mark in the conference and 83rd best in the NCAA.
Adams is 4th in the WAC and 94th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio (1.74), has 99 assists on the season averaging 3.4 assists per game which has her 7th in the WAC. Brittingham checks in near the top of the leaderboard in conference in total assists with 117 on the year, the 3rd best mark in the WAC. She is 4th in the WAC averaging 3.9 assists per game.
Nya Threatt is third on the Lady Mavs with 82 assists on the season, averaging 2.8 assists a game. Threatt matched her career high and posted a season's best with seven assists four weeks ago versus CBU.
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 .574 winning percentage is the 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.
NEXT UP
The Lady Mavs will travel to Las Vegas, Nev. next week to participate in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. More details will be available soon.
– #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).
