ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington women's basketball team (14-10, 9-4 WAC) return home to host Grand Canyon (25-2, 12-0 WAC) in a battle of two of the top teams in the Western Athletic Conference on Thursday, Feb. 27, inside the College Park Center for a 6:30 p.m. CT tipoff.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the sixth overall meeting between the two programs and the third time the Lopes have made the trip to Arlington. The Lady Mavs trail 1-4 in the all-time series while holding an 0-2 record inside the College Park Center. In the series, UTA is currently on a three-game skid after dropping a nail biter in their first matchup of the 2024-25 season. In the series, the Lady Mavs average 64 points per game while averaging 61.5 points per game at home in the series. 
 
SCOUTING GRAND CANYON
The Lopes enter the game bearing the nation's longest winning streak at 23 games, holding a 25-2 overall record on the year and a perfect 12 conference record. As a team, the Lopes have the third highest field goal percentage in the nation at 49.6 percent while averaging 17.4 assists per game which leads the WAC and is 23rd in the NCAA. The Lopes average scoring margin of 20.4 is the 12th best mark in the country. Three of the top four leading scorers in the WAC wear the GCU jersey with Trinity San Antonio (15.7) which is second, Alyssa Durazo-Frescas (15.0) and Laura Erikstrup (14.7).
 
LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED
Fifth year transfer Koi Love has solidified herself as one of the top scorers in the Western Athletic Conference. 
 
Through 24 games, Love is averaging 16.2 points per game, which is currently the top mark in the WAC and the 115th best mark in the nation as of Feb. 25. Love has put up 388 total points in the Lady Mavs' 24 games, which is third in the conference. She has made 165 field goals on the season, which is tops in the WAC and 86th in the NCAA while her 51.7 field goal percentage is the third best mark in the WAC and 53rd overall. She has six 20-point performances on the season and a record eight WAC Newcomer of the Week honors.
 
CERTIFIED BALLER
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 12 double doubles through 24 games which is 26th in the country. She nearly averages a double double for the season with 13.0 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game. Her 1.66 assist to turnover ratio is fourth in the conference.
 
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 22.50 free throw attempts per game which is the sixth best mark nationally. Their average of 15.92 free throws made per game is tops in the league and 13th nationally. Their 70.7 free throw percentage is the fifth best mark in the WAC. Avery Brittingham is third in the conference and 76th in the country with 136 free throw attempts.
 
COLD AS THE ASPEN MOUNTAINS
Last time out against the Lopes, Aspen Thornton had her best game in a Lady Mavs uniform, dropping a Division I career high 29 points on 10-for-17 shooting from the floor, tying her DI career best with 10 made field goals. 
 
Thornton has been playing some of her best basketball coming down the home stretch for the Lady Mavs, averaging 13.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game in her last six games, five of those being starts. Thornton has started in six games and appeared in every game this season.
 
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
The Lady Mavs have the second-best scoring offense in the conference and 70th best in the country, averaging 72.7 points per game. Their 5.3 scoring margin in the fifth best mark in the WAC and 118th in the NCAA. The bench averages 21.3 points per game, the third best mark in the conference and 87th nationally. Their field goal percentage of 41.9 percent is the third best mark in the conference.
 
QUEENS OF THE BOARDS
The Lady Mavs are one of the top rebounding teams in the country, averaging a league leading 38.38 rebounds per game which is the 91st best mark in the country. Offensively, UTA averages 12.8 which is fourth best in the WAC and 80th best in the NCAA. Defensively, their average of 25.6 is second in the WAC and 126th in the NCAA. The Lady Mavs own the fifth best rebound margin in the conference at 0.3.
 
Avery Brittingham's 9.1 rebounds per game are second in the conference and are 51st nationally while her 219 total rebounds are the most in the WAC and 104th in the NCAA. Koi Love's average of 7.0 rebounds per game is the seventh best mark in the conference.
 
20 PLUS CLUB
The Lady Mavs have had at least one player record 20 plus points in a game 11 times this season. Aspen Thornton was the latest Lady Mavs to join the list for the first time this season at Grand Canyon. Koi Love leads the way with six such performances while Avery Brittingham and Taliyah Clark each have two apiece.
 
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 4.3 blocks per game, the best mark in the conference and 43rd nationally. The Lady Mavs once again have three of the top 10 shot blockers in the WAC with Koi Love averaging 1.00 blocks per game, tied for the fourth highest mark in the conference while Avery Brittingham sits in eighth in the conference at 0.92 blocks per game and Zoe Nelson is ninth in the WAC at 0.88 blocks per game.
 
UTA has posted at least one block in each of their 24 games, with 21 of those seeing the Lady Mavs with multiple blocked shots. Through conference play, the Lady Mavs have 56 blocked shots, second most in that span behind California Baptist who has 60.
 
THE FACILITATORS
The Lady Mavs are one of the top teams in the conference when it comes to dishing out assists, their 15.6 per game are the second most in the WAC and 58th overall in the NCAA. Their 0.94 assist to turnover ratio is the second-best mark in the conference and 102nd best in the NCAA.
 
Avery Brittingham's 103 total assists lead the team and are the fifth most in conference while her average of 4.3 per game are the fifth best mark in the conference and 89th nationally. 
 
DEFENSIVE INTENSITY
The Lady Mavs force 19.58 turnovers a game, the fourth best mark in the WAC and the 44th best mark in the NCAA. Their 10.3 steals per contest are the fourth best mark in the conference and 43rd in the country. The Lady Mavs have the fourth best turnover margin in the WAC and the 82nd best in the NCAA at 3.00. The Lady Mavs have the fifth best scoring defense in the conference at 67.4.
 
Koi Love's 58 steals are the sixth most in the WAC and 85th in the country. Her average of 2.42 steals per game is the fourth best mark in the conference and 51st nationally. Brittingham's average of 1.96 steals per contest is the eighth best mark in the WAC.
 
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
The Lady Mavs are one of the best in the conference when taking care of the basketball, averaging 16.6 turnovers per game which is the second-best mark in the WAC.
 
UTA has turned the ball over less than their opponent in 14 games this season, holding a 10-4 record in those contests.
 
THE PRICE IS WRIGHT
Head coach Shereka Wright overtook Samantha Morrow (2007-13) for the fifth most wins in school history with 75 after their then sixth conference win of the season over Southern Utah on Jan. 30, 2025. After the Lady Mavs win against Seattle U at home, Wright now has 78 wins and trails Krista Gerlich (121), Donna Capps (119), Connie Kelch (117) and Mike Dean (115). Wright's .574 winning percentage is the best in program history.
 
TRIPLE DOUBLE FACTORY
There have been 26 triple doubles in all of NCAA Division I so far in the season and the Lady Mavs have three of those 26 with Avery Brittingham (2) and Koi Love (1). UTA is the only team with multiple players to post a triple double. Brittingham is tied for fifth amongst active players with four career triple double performances. In program history, the Lady Mavs have five with three of those coming this season and Brittingham is the only player with multiples, three in her tenure with UTA.
   
FOLLOW ALONG
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