LAS VEGAS, Nev. –The third-seeded UT Arlington women's basketball team took down the sixth-seeded California Baptist Lancers 72-66 in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Hercules Tires Western Athletic Conference Championship on Thursday afternoon inside the Orleans Arena.
 
With the win, the Lady Mavs advance to the WAC semifinals where they will meet the second-seeded Tarleton State Texans on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. CT. The two split the season series at one game apiece.
 
The Lady Mavs had four players score in double figures led by who finished with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in 31 minutes. Koi Love finished with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal in 35 minutes of action. Taliyah Clark finished with 16 points to go along with five rebounds, one assist and one block in 34 minutes. Aspen Thornton chipped in with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 23 minutes off the bench.
 
UTA played a very physical game, forcing the Lancers into 13 turnovers while finishing with seven steals to score 17 points off turnovers. The Lady Mavs managed to hold CBU to shooting under 40-percent from the floor while also holding them under their season average of 33-percent from beyond the arc, finishing 22-percent from deep for the game. The Lady Mavs also kept Khloe Lemon to 3-of-14 shooting and 10 points in the game.
 
GAME FLOW
After falling behind 11-6, UTA went on a 14-0 run with 4:35 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Brittingham, to take a 20-11 lead, a score that would hold for the rest of the period. The Lady Mavs got a great contribution from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for seven of its 20 total points.
 
The Lady Mavs used the second period to increase their lead and entered halftime with a 39-28 edge. UTA forced five CBU turnovers in the period and turned them into six points.
 
UTA continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Love, to expand its lead further to 59-44 with 1:26 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Lancers had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Lady Mavs still entered the fourth quarter with a 61-48 edge. UTA played well near the basket, scoring 12 of its 22 points in the paint.
 
The Lady Mavs then held on for the victory in the fourth quarter. UTA took advantage of two CBU turnovers in the quarter, scoring three points off of those takeaways.
 
GAME NOTES

• The Lady Mavs picked up their second win in the all-time series against the Lancers, which is also their second straight victory, now are 2-6 all-time versus the Lancers. Also are 1-1 against the Lancers in WACVegas.
• UTA held the Lancers to only 37.3-percent shooting from the field, below their season average of 41.2-percent from the floor. Also held the Lancers to 21.7-percent from deep, below their season average of 32.6-percent from three-point land.
• The Lady Mavs never trailed after taking a 20-11 first quarter lead.
• UTA tallied 15 total assists in the game.
• Avery Brittingham, Koi Love, and Taliyah Clark combined to account for 75 percent of the Lady Mavs points.
• The UTA defense forced 13 turnovers.
• UTA got seven rebounds from both Zoe Nelson and Brittingham. 
• Nya Threatt finished with four assists.
• UTA moves on to the WAC Semifinals for the second straight season.
• The Lady Mavs are now 3-4 all-time in the WAC Tournament.

– #BuckEm –

 
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