CEDAR CITY, Utah – The UT Arlington women's basketball team (10-7, 5-1 WAC) begin their Utah road trip in Cedar City with a matchup against Southern Utah (4-15, 2-4 WAC) on Thursday, Jan. 30, for a 7:30 p.m. CT tipoff.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the seventh overall matchup between the two programs and the second meeting this season. The Lady Mavs hold a perfect 6-0 record over the Thunderbirds with a 2-0 record in Cedar City. UTA averages about 72 points per contest. The Lady Mavs won the matchup earlier this season 78-54. The first ever meeting between the two programs came back during the 2004-05 season, a game the Lady Mavs won 62-55.
 
 SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH
The Thunderbirds carry a 4-15 overall record along with a 2-4 conference record into this matchup. They are currently on a one game win streak, defeating a tough California Baptist team by one, 64-63, last time out. At home, the Thunderbirds hold a 3-5 record. Daylani Ballena averages 10.2 points per game to lead the Thunderbirds while Ava Uhrich averages 10.1 points per game. Lexi Bull leads Southern Utah in rebounding, averaging 6.1 boards per game.
 
NATURAL BORN SCORER
Fifth year transfer Koi Love is solidifying herself as one of the top scorers in the Western Athletic Conference. 
 
Through 17 games, Love is averaging 17.7 points per game, which is currently the second-best mark in the WAC and the 57th best mark in the nation as of Jan. 28. Love has put up 301 total points in the Lady Mavs' 17 games, which is third in the conference. She has made 127 field goals on the season, which is second in the WAC and 74th in the NCAA while her 53.6 field goal percentage is the second-best mark in the WAC and 45th overall. She has six 20-point performances on the season.
 
ALL AROUND HOOPER
Avery Brittingham has proven time and time again that she is one of the premier players in this league. She has posted a league high nine double doubles through 17 games which is 22nd in the country. She nearly averages a double double for the season with 12.7 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game.
 
Her 1.85 assist to turnover ratio is third in the conference and 83rd in the country.
 
IF IT'S FREE, IT'S FOR ME
As a team, the Lady Mavs are one of the best teams in the nation in getting to the free throw line for the season, averaging a league high 21.76 free throw attempts per game which is the 14th best mark nationally. Their average of 15.29 free throws made per game is tops in the league and 21st nationally. 
 
Brittingham is third in the conference with 86 free throw attempts while Miraya Perkins' 81.8 free throw percentage is the second-best mark in the WAC.
 
DEFENSIVE INTENSITY
The Lady Mavs force 19.94 turnovers a game, the fourth best mark in the WAC and the 45th best mark in the NCAA.
 
Their 10.6 steals per contest are the fourth best mark in the conference and 44th in the country.
 
The Lady Mavs have the fourth best turnover margin in the WAC and the 69th best in the NCAA at 3.59.
 
Love's 43 steals are the sixth most in the WAC and 78th in the country. Her average of 2.53 steals per game is the third best mark in the conference and 44th nationally. Brittingham's average of 1.88 steals per contest is the 12th best mark in the WAC.
 
THE FACILITATORS
The Lady Mavs are one of the top teams in the conference when it comes to dishing out assists, their 15.8 per game are the second most in the WAC and 58th overall in the NCAA. Their 0.97 assist to turnover ratio is the second-best mark in the conference and 95th best in the NCAA.
 
Brittingham's 74 total assists lead the team and are the fifth most in conference while her average of 4.4 per game are the fourth best mark in the conference and 85th nationally. Love's 3.4 assists per contest is the seventh best mark in the league.
 
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
The Lady Mavs have the second-best scoring offense in the conference and 79th best in the country, averaging 72.2 points per game. Their 6.5 scoring margin in the fourth best mark in the WAC. The bench averages 22.1 points per game, the third best mark in the conference and 99th in the country. Their field goal percentage of 41.7 percent is the third best mark in the conference.
 
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
The Lady Mavs are one of the best in the conference when taking care of the basketball, averaging 16.4 turnovers per game which is the third best mark 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.
 
The Lady Mavs average 4.2 blocks per game, the best mark in the conference and 46th nationally. The Lady Mavs once again have two of the top 10 shot blockers in the WAC with Love averaging 1.12 per game, the third highest mark in the conference while Brittingham averages 1.00 per game, tied for the sixth highest mark in the conference.
 
In 17 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 while having two six block performances also. The Lady Mavs posted their first six block game of conference play at home against Southern Utah.
 
QUEENS OF THE BOARDS
The Lady Mavs are one of the top rebounding teams in the country, averaging a league leading 39.06 rebounds per game which is the 82nd best mark in the country. Offensively, UTA averages 13.2 which is fourth best in the WAC and 75th best in the NCAA. Defensively, their average of 25.9 is third in the WAC. The Lady Mavs own the fifth best rebound margin in the conference at 0.0.
 
Brittingham's 9.2 rebounds per game are second best in the conference and 51st nationally while her 156 total rebounds are the second most in the WAC. Love's average of 6.9 rebounds per game is the seventh best mark in the conference.
 
FOUR STRAIGHT...SIX OVERALL
Koi Love was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Newcomer of the Week for the sixth time this season, the conference office announced Monday, Jan. 27, afternoon. 
 
The fifth-year guard from Orlando, Fla., averaged 17 points, 6.5 rebounds, one assist and 3.5 steals in helping the Lady Mavs to conference victories over Seattle U and Abilene Christian. The two wins moved UTA to a 5-1 conference record while the win over Seattle gave the Lady Mavs their second road win and the win over ACU kept UTA perfect at home with an 8-0 record. 
 
In the 70-58 win over Seattle U, Love led all scorers with 22 points, her sixth 20-point game of the season and third in conference play. She also grabbed eight rebounds, tied her career high with six steals, while finishing with a block and an assist in a game-high 36 minutes of action. In the 71-52 win over Abilene Christian, Love finished with 12 points, five rebounds, one assist and a steal before fouling out after 28 minutes of action.
 
Love currently leads the Lady Mavs in scoring, averaging 17.7 points per game while averaging 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.5 steals and a little over one block per game on the season. Her scoring average is the second best in the conference and 58th in the country while her 53.6 field goal percentage is second in the league and 45th in the nation. Her 2.53 steals per game are the third best mark in the WAC and 44th in the country while her average of 1.12 blocks per game is the third best mark in the conference.
 
Through six games in conference play, Love is averaging 20 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.7 steals and a little over a block per game in conference play alone.
 
THE PRICE IS WRIGHT
Head coach Shereka Wright overtook Cindy Salser (1976-79) for the sixth most wins in school history with 52 last season after a win against Tarleton State on Jan. 4, 2024. After their fifth conference win of the season over Abilene Christian, Wright now has 74 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.
   
FOLLOW ALONG
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