OREM, Utah — Utah Valley women's basketball heads south for an in-state Western Athletic Conference showdown at Southern Utah on Thursday, Jan. 8. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MT at the America First Events Center in Cedar City.
 
The Wolverines and Thunderbirds will meet three times during the regular season, with Southern Utah slated to visit Orem for the final two matchups.
 
BROADCAST INFO
Thursday night's contest will stream live on ESPN+ with Spencer McLaughlin and Taigen Lewis on the call from the America First Event Center. Live statistics will be available at GoUVU.com/stats.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Utah Valley wrapped up the opening week of WAC play with a 2-1 league record and a perfect 2-0 mark at home in the UCCU Center. The Wolverines rebounded from a road loss at California Baptist with a 74-49 win over Tarleton State before edging Abilene Christian, 69-67, on Saturday.
 
Amanda Barcello led UVU during the week, averaging 13.7 points per game while shooting 10-for-21 (.476) from beyond the arc. Kylee Mabry posted the top individual performance of the week, scoring a career-high 23 points in the win over Abilene Christian.
 
SCOUTING THE THUNDERBIRDS
Southern Utah enters the matchup at 10-4 overall and tied for first place in the WAC at 2-0. The Thunderbirds have been dominant at home, posting a 6-0 record at the America First Events Center.
 
SUU features three double-figure scorers, all of whom have earned WAC weekly honors this season. Sierra Chambers leads the team at 15.9 points per game, while Ava Uhrich (13.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and Brookelyn Fely (10.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg) rank second and third in the conference in rebounding, respectively.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Southern Utah leads the all-time series 20-10 since the 2004-05 season and has won six of the last seven meetings. Utah Valley snapped that streak last season with a 53-48 victory in Cedar City. The Wolverines are seeking consecutive wins over the Thunderbirds for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley continues its road swing Saturday in St. George to renew the Old Hammer Rivalry against Utah Tech. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. MT at Burns Arena. The Wolverines will conclude the three-game road trip on Saturday, Jan. 17, at UT Arlington.