OPENING TIP
Utah Valley University is back in the UCCU Center this week for the final two games of the WAC regular season. The Wolverines host Tarleton State on Thursday at 6 p.m. before wrapping up the home schedule against Abilene Christian at 2 p.m. 

UVU (9-18, 4-14) is still among five teams fighting for the final two spots in next week's WAC Tournament. The Wolverines need a win in order to keep their hopes of a berth alive. Southern Utah, UT Rio Grande Valley, and Seattle U are all one game in front of Utah Valley while Tarleton is two games ahead. SUU owns any potential tiebreaker over UVU while the Wolverines split with UTRGV and Seattle U, and need a win on Thursday to split with Tarleton. 

LAST TIME OUT
A third-quarter run propelled UT Arlington to a 67-53 win over Utah Valley University on Saturday afternoon in the College Park Center. Kylee Mabry and Eleyana Tafisi scored 13 points apiece to lead UVU while UTA's Gia Adams led all scorers with 19. Tahlia White finished with eight points and six boards, Liana Kaitu'u added seven points and Amanda Barcello had a team-high seven rebounds for Utah Valley. 

The Wolverines responded after a slow start to take a lead into the half after outscoring UT Arlington 20-12 in the second quarter. That turned a 14-7 deficit after one into a 27-26 halftime advantage. A 10-1 run in the second, with six points from Tafisi, gave UVU a 19-17 lead with just under four minutes to go in the first half.Utah Valley led 29-26 after Tafisi opened the third with a layup before a quick 9-0 spurt in less than two minutes of game time put UT Arlington back in front by six, 35-29. It was 41-35 with 3:14 remaining when the Mavericks closed the quarter by scoring nine of the final 11 points to take a 50-37 lead into the fourth.  

NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Wolverines lead the WAC and ranks ninth in the country in bench points per game (28.2ppg). UVU also leads the league and ranks 10th in the nation with 11.4 steals per game as a team while also leading the conference in turnovers forced per game (20.04, 29th nationally).

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Tarleton State picked up two big wins last week, defeating Utah Tech and Southern Utah, to put themselves in a position to clinch a tournament berth on Thursday. The Texans defeated the Wolverines, 60-55, on Feb. 9 in Stephenville, Texas behind 15 points apiece from Jakoriah Long and Miannah Little. Long leads the team with 10.9 points per game. Thursday marks just the second time in seven meetings that the schools will play in Orem. The Wolverines are 4-2 against TSU in the all-time series; 1-0 at home and 3-2 on the road.

UP NEXT
Saturday's game against Abilene Christian will also be Senior Day for Jenna Dick, Liana Kaitu'u, and Elina Tausinga, with the trio honored postgame.