ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington (10-17, 4-11 WAC) returns to College Park Center on Thursday night looking to build momentum down the stretch, as the Lady Mavs welcome California Baptist (17-10 overall, 11-3 WAC) for a key Western Athletic Conference matchup.
Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT inside CPC as UTA hosts "Celebrate Black Excellence" Night, with the game streaming on ESPN+.
UTA enters Thursday coming off a 77-60 setback at Utah Valley on Saturday to close its Utah road swing. The Lady Mavs' identity continues to start on the defensive end, running teams off the three-point line, forcing turnovers, and protecting the rim, while continuing to lean on a young core in key moments down the stretch of WAC play.
Quote from reke abt last time out
UTA is averaging 60.7 points per game, forcing tempo with 9.3 steals per game, and protecting the rim at 4.9 blocks per game, while holding opponents to .391 shooting from the floor.
Offensively, UTA is led by
Kira Reynolds at 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, giving the Lady Mavs a steady presence in the paint and on the glass. The supporting cast has provided scoring balance throughout the lineup, with
Nya Threatt 9.3 ppg and
Jadyn Atchison 7.7 ppg helping drive pressure, pace, and playmaking, and UTA will look to win the possession battle by rebounding with force and limiting second chances, the Lady Mavs average 35.9 rebounds per game.
Game plan quote from reke or maybe qt from Nya?
California Baptist has been one of the WAC's most efficient and physical teams this season, averaging 72.0 points per game while allowing 66.7. The Lancers shoot .409 from the field, hit 236 threes on the year, and are tough to keep off the glass at 41.4 rebounds per game. Defensively, they're disruptive across the board, piling up 247 steals and 150 blocks in 27 games. Offensively, Lauren Olsen sets the tone at 15.5 ppg (55 made threes), while Filipa Barros is a steady interior presence with 9.4 rpg and 4.9 apg, and Emma Johansson adds 10.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg while anchoring the rim protection (team-high 78 blocks).
NOTEWORTHY
- Home cooking: UTA is back at CPC for a late-season push, where the Lady Mavs are 7-3 at home this year.
- Celebration night: Thursday's matchup will serve as Celebrate Black Excellence at College Park Center.
- Perimeter pressure: CBU averages 8.7 made threes per game, making closeouts and defensive rebounding a premium.
FOLLOW ALONG
For updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos, and more, follow the women's basketball program on X (formerly Twitter) @UTAMavsWBB and Instagram @UTAMavsWBB.
– #BuckEm –
