OPENING TIP: UVU vs NM State

• Utah Valley University women's basketball begins a pivotal week where it will see the top two teams in the league standings starting Thursday at first-place New Mexico State. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. MT in Lockhart Arena. 
• On Saturday UVU hosts UT Rio Grande Valley, a team that sits just head of the Wolverines (12-10, 6-3) with a 7-3 WAC record. The Vaqueros are at Seattle U on Thursday night. UVU is currently third, a half game in front of California Baptist.
• Utah Valley has seven regular season games remaining, four on the road and three at home. After this week UVU will four of its final five WAC games on the road.
• Jordan Holland is averaging 13.4 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Wolverines and has scored in double figures in  13 straight games. Eve Braslis is scoring 10.1 points and grabbing and 6.0 rebounds and Alexis Cortez is just shy of being the third player to average in double figures, with 9.8 per contest.
• New Mexico State has won 10 straight in the series against Utah Valley and is 12-2 all-time. The Aggies held off the Wolverines, 58-52, when the teams met on Jan. 19 in Las Cruces. Cortez led UVU with 14 points while reigning WAC Player of the Year Brooke Salas finished with 15 points and 18 rebounds. 
   

LAST TIME OUT
Four players scored in double figures as Utah Valley University outlasted Seattle University, 63-56, on last afternoon in the UCCU Center. Cortez led the way with 15 points while Holland finished with a double-double of 13 points and a career-high-tying 12 rebounds. Maria Carvalho added 12 points and Braslis chipped in 10 for the Wolverines while Madison Grange had three steals and Cortez blocked three shots, all of which came in the opening quarter. UVU limited Seattle U to just 29.9 percent (20-67) from the floor.


ABOUT THE AGGIES
New Mexico State has won eight straight and is among those receiving votes in the latest Women's Mid-Major Top 25 poll. The Aggies took care of CSU Bakersfield and Grand Canyon at home last week with Salas winning her fourth WAC Player of the Week award this season on Monday. Salas ranks second in the league with an average of 18.9 points while leading the WAC with 11.6 rebounds per game. Gia Pack is fifth in the WAC in scoring at 14.8 per contest. 


UP NEXT
Saturday's contest against UTRGV tips off at 3 p.m. MT in Lockhart Arena. Next week the Wolverines will travel to Chicago State (Feb. 21) and UMKC (Feb. 23).