OPENING TIP

• Utah Valley University continues its three-game WAC road swing with a two-game trip starting Thursday at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley at 7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT. 
• The Wolverines (9-7, 3-0) have won three straight and are off to their best conference start since joining the WAC in 2013-14.
• Junior Jordan Holland is scoring 13.1 points per game to lead UVU with freshman Eve Braslis is averaging 11.1 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds. Junior Alexis Cortez, a two-time WAC Player of the Week, is averaging 9.6 points per game.
• The all-time series between Utah Valley and UT Rio Grande Valley is tied 14-14 and dates back to 2005, when both teams were Division I independents. The programs were also part of the Great West Conference before joining the WAC in 2013. 
• The teams split the season series last year, both winning at home. UTRGV has won three of the last four in the series and eight of 10 over UVU overall. Utah Valley is 3-10 all-time in road games against the Vaqueros. 

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Valley University stayed perfect in WAC play, coming from behind before holding off Seattle University in the waning seconds, 58-55, on Saturday afternoon at the Redhawk Center. Eve Braslis matched her career high with 18 points and also had seven rebounds for the Wolverines. Jordan Holland added 13 points and grabbed nine boards and stole the inbounds pass with 5.4 seconds left and UVU up two. After she hit one of her two attempts from the line, the Redhawks couldn't get off a good look in an attempt to force overtime.
 

ABOUT THE VAQUEROS
UT Rio Grande Valley split a two-game road trip last week, winning its most recent contest at Grand Canyon, 66-50. The Vaqueros (8-8, 2-1) fell 68-63 at CSU Bakersfield in the first game of the trip. Idil Turk (10.4ppg) and leads UTRGV in the scoring column while Madison Northcutt is averaging 7.9 rebounds per contest. 
 

UP NEXT
The Wolverines will end their road trip at preseason favorite New Mexico State in a noon MT tip-off. Next week Utah Valley returns home to host UMKC (Jan. 24) and Chicago State (Jan. 26).