OPENING TIP
Utah Valley University begins an important two-game road trip to Texas this Thursday when the Wolverines will face Tarleton State on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT in Stephenville, Texas. The two teams are currently part of a three-way tie for the eighth and final spot in the WAC Tournament as the conference season is just past the midway point. 

The Wolverines (8-12, 3-8) dropped both games last week, to the No. 3 and No. 1 teams in the WAC standings, but are 2-2 in their last four games. Nine games remain in the WAC regular season; five on the road and four at home. The Wolverines and Texans are tied with UT Rio Grande Valley in standings, are one game back of Southern Utah, and 1.5 games behind Saturday's opponent, Abilene Christian. 

LAST TIME OUT
Utah Valley University had a lead entering the final quarter of play, but a big fourth quarter helped Grand Canyon University to a 66-52 win on Saturday afternoon in the Valley of the Sun. The Wolverines outscored the Lopes in the third by 12, 20-8, to turn a 30-22 halftime deficit into a 40-36 lead after three. GCU used a 14-2 run in the fourth quarter to turn a 44-38 Utah Valley lead into a 52-46 advantage. Grand Canyon outscored the Wolverines in the fourth, 28-10. Kylee Mabry led UVU with 14 points while Amanda Barcello scored all 11 of her points in the second half. Eleyana Tafisi added nine points and five assists for the Wolverines. 

JENNA DICK'S RETURN
Utah Valley senior Jenna Dick will be making a return to her old team this week when the Wolverines play at Tarleton State. Dick played two seasons in Stephenville with the Texans, averaging just shy of six points per game while appearing in 57 contests. She's averaging 5.9 points per game this season for UVU and is currently 82 points shy of 1,000 for her career. 

NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Wolverines lead the WAC and rank seventh in the country in bench points per game, with 29.0 per game coming off the bench. UVU also leads the league and ranks 15th in the nation with 11.4 steals per game as a team while also leading the conference in turnover margin (-4.25) and turnovers forced per game (20.7).

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Tarleton State split two games last week, winning at home over Abilene Christian before falling on the road at Stephen F. Austin. Jakoria Long averages 11.2 points per game while Faith Acker scores 8.9 points and pulls down a team-best 5.3 boards. UVU is 4-1 all-time against the Texans, including a 3-1 record on the road including last year's 63-59 overtime win. Tarleton State will also come to Orem for a  game on March 7.

UP NEXT
UVU wraps up the road trip and current three-game road swing at Abilene Christian on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT/noon MT.