OPENING TIP

• Utah Valley University wraps up its Midwestern road trip in a pivotal Western Athletic Conference game at UMKC on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT/1 p.m. MT. 
• Winners over Chicago State on Thursday, the Wolverines (14-11, 8-4) are tied with UT Rio Grande Valley for second in the WAC standings. The Kangaroos (13-12, 7-5) are looking to not only catch UVU in the standings on Saturday, but a win would give UMKC the regular season sweep. 
• Elsewhere in the WAC this weekend, UTRGV hosts league-leading New Mexico State on Saturday while California Baptist hosts CSU Bakersfield -- with both teams at 7-5 -- on Sunday. 
• Jordan Holland is averaging 13.9 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Wolverines and has scored in double figures in 16 straight games. Eve Braslis is scoring 10.4 points and grabbing and 6.0 rebounds, Alexis Cortez is scoring 10.0 per game and Maria Carvalho is averaging 7.2 points and 4.5 assists per game. 
• Utah Valley leads the all-time series against Kansas City, 7-4, but had a three-game winning streak in the series snapped on Jan. 24 in Orem, a 68-64 UMKC win. 
   

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Valley University moved into a tie for second place in the WAC standings following a 70-65 win at Chicago State University on Thursday night at the Jones Convocation Center. The Wolverines led by as much as 25 in the third quarter before holding off a late-charging CSU squad down the stretch. Jordan Holland led four Utah Valley players in double figures with 18 points while Maria Carvalho added 13 points and tied a school records with seven steals. Eve Braslis and Alexis Cortez both chipped in 11 for the Wolverines.

ABOUT THE KANGAROOS
UMKC has won two of its last three after an 83-66 home win on Thursday night over Seattle U. Ericka Mattingly had a near triple-double with 19 points, 10 steals and eight assists. She ranks second in the WAC in scoring at 18.7 per game while leading the conference in assists (6.1)  steals (3.2). Mattingly had 20 points, six assists and six steals while Emily Ivory added 19 and Kristen Moore finished with 18 for the 'Roos in the earlier win over UVU. 

UP NEXT
UVU hosts California Baptist next Saturday, March 2 at 3 p.m. MT in the final home game of the season. The game will be played in Lockhart Arena.