OPENING TIP

• The Western Athletic Conference schedule reaches its mid-point this week as Utah Valley University will finish up the first half of league play at California Baptist on Thursday at 11 a.m. PT/noon MT. It will be the first meeting between the two programs with the Lancers in their first season of NCAA Division I and as members of the WAC.
• The Wolverines (11-9, 5-2) have nine games remaining on the regular season schedule with four at home and five on the road. 
• Jordan Holland is averaging 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Wolverines, while Eve Braslis is scoring 10.2 points and pulling down 6.2 boards. Alexis Cortez is scoring 10.1 per game while hauling in 4.7 rebounds and Maria Carvalho averages 6.5 points and 4.6 assists per game. 
• Holland has increased her scoring average to 14.6 points during WAC play and has reached double figures in 11 straight games overall. 
• In UVU's two games last week, Va'e Malufau averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds after setting new career highs of 12 points and seven rebounds in last Saturday's win over Chicago State. She also recorded a career-best two blocks in the win.
   

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Valley University moved to 5-2 in WAC play behind a balanced offensive effort in a 76-61 win over Chicago State University on Saturday in the UCCU Center. Eight different Wolverines scored at least six points in the game, with Jordan Holland scoring 12 of her team-high 14 in the second half. Va'e Malufau had a career-high with 12 points and seven rebounds while Eve Braslis, Maria Carvalho and Alexis Cortez each scored nine. Josie Williams added eight points and Emma Jones chipped in six. 

ABOUT THE LANCERS
California Baptist (9-10, 2-4) enters Thursday's game as winners in three of its last four. The Lancers were edged, 75-71, at Grand Canyon after picking up a convincing 23-point road win at CSU Bakersfield two days earlier. CBU boasts the WAC's top scoring offense (77.0 points per game) on the overall season. Britney Thomas leads a trio of players scoring in double figures with 14.8 ppg while also hauling in 11.4 rebounds per game, second-best among all WAC players. UVU and CBU will meet again on March 2 in Orem.

UP NEXT
The Wolverines will begin a three-game WAC homestand on Saturday, Feb. 9 against Seattle U, giving the team eight full off days in between games. The following week UVU will host New Mexico State and UT Rio Grande Valley.