OPENING TIP
Utah Valley University returns to Orem to host a pair of conference games this week starting Thursday at 6 p.m. against California Baptist. The Wolverines will also host in-state rival Southern Utah on Saturday at 2 p.m. Both games will be played in Lockhart Arena. 

UVU (8-14, 3-10) fell at Tarleton State and Abilene Christian last week and sits one game behind Tarleton and Southern Utah, the two teams tied for eighth. UT Rio Grande Valley is half a game in front of TSU and SUU while Seattle U is one game back of Utah Valley. The five schools are currently vying for the final two spots in the WAC Tournament next month in Las Vegas. 

LAST TIME OUT
Tessa Chaney had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds but Utah Valley fell behind early and couldn't recover, dropping a 66-53 contest at Abilene Christian on Saturday in Moody Coliseum. The double-double is the third of the season for Chaney, with all three coming in WAC contests. Kaylee Byon also reached double figures in scoring for the Wolverines with 13 points as UVU got 36 of its 53 points from its bench. The Wildcats, who jumped out to a 12-0 lead to start the game, got 16 points from Bella Earle, 11 from Payton Hull, and Addison Martin finished with 10. Zoe Jackson pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds while also scoring nine points for ACU.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Wolverines lead the WAC and rank sixth in the country in bench points per game, with 29.2 points per game coming off the bench. UVU also leads the league and ranks 13th in the nation with 11.6 steals per game as a team while also leading the conference in turnover margin (-4.27, 38th nationally) and turnovers forced per game (20.6, 25th nationally).

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
California Baptist boasts the top scoring offense in the WAC and leads the conference in several categories while also ranking among the national leaders in rebound average (5th), 3-point attempts (29.6, 4th), and 3-pointers made per game (9.4, 8th). 

Senior Chloe Webb, who won her fourth WAC Player of the Week award on Monday, leads the WAC and ranks 14th in the county with 21.4 points per game. Webb scored 17 points in the Lancers 80-61 win over Utah Valley in Riverside, California on Jan. 4. Freshman Khloe Lemon led all scorers with 19 for CBU while Eleyana Tafisi led the Wolverines with 13 points. CBU is 10-1 all-time against Utah Valley and has won seven straight. The Wolverines are 1-3 at home all-time against the Lancers.

UP NEXT
After Saturday's game against SUU, the Wolverines head back to Texas for games at UT Rio Grande Valley (Feb. 22) and Stephen F. Austin (Feb. 24).