ABILENE, Texas – The UT Arlington women's basketball team (14-11, 9-5 WAC) hit the road for their final away game of the regular season when they take on Abilene Christian (18-10, 7-6 WAC) on Saturday, March 1, for a battle in the Moody Coliseum at 1 p.m.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 20th all-time meeting between the two programs, with UTA holding an 11-8 edge in the series that dates back to 1973. The Lady Mavs have won the past two contests including the one earlier this season and are 3-2 in their last five matchups. In Abilene, the Lady Mavs hold a 1-5 record with a 3-2 record in conference play against the Wildcats. UTA averages 68.63 points per contest while the Wildcats average 70.95 points per contest in the series.The Lady Mavs longest win streak in the series was six games while their longest losing streak was three games.
 
SCOUTING ABILENE CHRISTIAN
The Wildcats come into the game riding a two-game win streak after defeating Tarleton State 59-56 this past Thursday. ACU currently sits fifth in the current Western Athletic Conference standings. The Wildcats have won their last three games at home with their last lost coming back on Jan. 30. As a team, ACU averages 71.4 points per contest while holding their opponents to 60.4 points per game. From the floor, the Wildcats shoot 43.6 percent while shooting 30 percent from deep and 70.9 percent from the free throw line. Bella Earle leads ACU with 14 points and 7.2 RPG.
 
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 25 games, Love is averaging 16.0 points per game, which is currently the top mark in the WAC and the 124th best mark in the nation as of Feb. 27. Love has put up 399 total points in the Lady Mavs' 25 games, which is third in the conference. She has made 170 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 51st 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 30th in the country. She nearly averages a double double for the season with 12.0 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game. Her 1.58 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 22.44 free throw attempts per game which is the sixth best mark nationally. Their average of 15.84 free throws made per game is tops in the league and 13th nationally. Their 70.6 free throw percentage is the fifth best mark in the WAC. Avery Brittingham is third in the conference and 81st in the country with 139 free throw attempts.
 
COLD AS THE ASPEN MOUNTAINS
Aspen Thornton had her best game in a Lady Mavs uniform two three games ago at Grand Canyon, 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 10.6 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game in her last five games, all being starts. Thornton has started in seven games and appeared in every game this season.
 
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
The Lady Mavs have the second-best scoring offense in the conference and 75th best in the country, averaging 72.2 points per game. Their 4.6 scoring margin is the fifth best mark in the WAC and 127th in the NCAA. The bench averages 21.0 points per game, the third best mark in the conference and 94th 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 37.92 rebounds per game which is the 109th best mark in the country. Offensively, UTA averages 12.6 which is fourth best in the WAC and 88th best in the NCAA. Defensively, their average of 25.3 is second in the WAC.
 
Avery Brittingham's 9.0 rebounds per game are second in the conference and are 61st nationally while her 225 total rebounds are the most in the WAC and 106th in the NCAA. Koi Love's average of 6.9 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 4.2 blocks per game, the best mark in the conference and 45th nationally. The Lady Mavs once again have two of the top 5 shot blockers in the WAC with Avery Brittingham averaging 1.00 which is fourth in the WAC and Koi Love sits fifth in the conference at 0.96 blocks per game.
 
UTA has posted at least one block in each of their 25 games, with 22 of those seeing the Lady Mavs with multiple blocked shots. Through conference play, the Lady Mavs have 60 blocked shots, second most in that span behind California Baptist who has 67.
 
THE FACILITATORS
The Lady Mavs are one of the top teams in the conference when it comes to dishing out assists, their 15.4 per game are the second most in the WAC and 66th overall in the NCAA. Their 0.91 assist to turnover ratio is the second-best mark in the conference.
 
Avery Brittingham's 104 total assists lead the team and are the fifth most in conference while her average of 4.2 per game are the fifth best mark in the conference and 104th nationally. 
 
DEFENSIVE INTENSITY
The Lady Mavs force 19.68 turnovers a game, the fourth best mark in the WAC and the 42nd best mark in the NCAA. Their 10.2 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 81st best in the NCAA at 2.88. The Lady Mavs have the fifth best scoring defense in the conference at 67.6.
 
Koi Love's 58 steals are the sixth most in the WAC and 97th in the country. Her average of 2.32 steals per game is the fifth best mark in the conference and 65th 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 16.8 turnovers per game which is the third 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 .569 winning percentage is the third best in program history.
 
TRIPLE DOUBLE FACTORY
There have been 28 triple doubles in all of NCAA Division I so far in the season and the Lady Mavs have three of those 28 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.
   
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