OPENING TIP
Utah Valley University hosts Utah State University on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. MT in the UCCU Center in Orem. The game will air live on ESPN+. It's the fourth and final non-conference game this season against in-state opponents for the Wolverines (3-5). 

Kylee Mabry is averaging 9.0 points per game to lead the team and is averaging 15.0 per game over the last three contests. She scored a career-high 17 against Utah Tech and followed that up with 16 at Idaho State. Mabry is also averaging 3.0 steals, which ranks third in the WAC and 26th nationally. She's also third in the conference in total steals and 34th nationally, with 24 so far this season. 

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Valley couldn't overcome a shooting slump in the second quarter, dropping a 54-50 game at Idaho State on Wednesday night. The Wolverines led after one but were outscored 24-5 in the second quarter to trail by 14 at the half. 

Mabry scored 16 points while Amanda Barcello recorded her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The two nearly helped lead a furious fourth-quarter comeback that saw a 13-point deficit trimmed to one in the final minute.

WHERE THEY RANK
UVU leads the WAC and ranks 14th in the country in turnover margin, 27th in turnovers forced per game, and is 16th in steals per game (12.4). The Wolverines are +7.4 in turnovers so far this while forcing just shy of 22 opponent giveaways per game. UVU also leads the WAC and ranks 24th in the country in bench points per game (30.0). 

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Utah State is also 3-5 on the season and is coming off a 72-66 loss at BYU on Tuesday, losing in similar fashion as the Wolverines at Idaho State with a late comeback coming up short. The Aggies are led by Cheyenne Stubbs' 16.1 points per game while Skye Miller is averaging 10.9 points and a team-high 5.0 rebounds. 

THE All-TIME SERIES
Utah State leads the all-time series 10-6 and won the most recent contest, 65-55, on Dec. 3, 2022 in Logan. The Wolverines are 5-3 at home—including two straight in Orem—and 1-7 on the road against Utah State.

UP NEXT
Following Saturday's game, Utah Valley will play a pair of former WAC members as part of the WAC/Conference USA scheduling initiative. The Wolverines will play at New Mexico State next Saturday, Dec. 16 before hosting Sam Houston in the final non-conference game of the season on Dec. 21.