The SUU basketball teams were in action on Saturday. The men’s team hosted UVU, while the women traveled to Orem.
Southern Utah women’s basketball secured a 72-63 upset victory, while the men’s side fell 70-68 against the first-place Wolverines.
Here are recaps of both games, beginning with the win for the women’s basketball team.
Women’s basketball
Facing rival Utah Valley for the first time this season, the SUU women’s basketball team upset the Wolverines 72-63 for their second straight win.
UVU began the game on a 6-0 spurt, but the T-birds responded with an 8-0 run to take their first lead. The Wolverines would answer with five quick points to regain the advantage before SUU put together a 12-2 run to make it a seven-point lead to end the opening quarter (20-13).
Southern Utah pushed its lead up to 14 early in the second quarter (27-14), but Utah Valley would fight back to cut the deficit to six, 29-23. The T-birds answered with a 6-2 spurt, giving the visitors a 10-point halftime lead (35-25).
Both teams traded buckets back and forth in the third quarter, which meant SUU held a 52-40 lead after the period. The Thunderbirds would control the final frame, pushing their lead to as many as 16 (72-56) before securing the 72-63 win.
Ava Uhrich led the T-birds in the victory, notching 27 points. Daylani Ballena added 21 for the T-birds, who picked up their second straight win against an in-state rival.
The win moves Southern Utah to 6-19 overall, including 4-8 in WAC action. With four games to play, the team sits in the No. 7 spot in the conference standings.
Up next
SUU (6-19, 4-8 WAC) will host three straight home games, beginning with Abilene Christian on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
The T-birds and Wildcats matchup will begin at 6:30 p.m. MT and can be seen on ESPN+.
Men’s basketball
Hosting UVU after a win over Utah Tech last time out, the T-birds came up short against the WAC’s first-place team on Saturday night.
Utah Valley ran out of the gate to a 13-4 lead, but SUU answered with a 20-6 run to take a five-point advantage (24-19). The remainder of the first half was a back-and-forth affair, with the T-birds taking a one-point lead into the halftime break, 33-32.
The first half of the second period continued in the same pattern as the latter part of the first half, with neither team leading by more than four in the first 10 minutes. Utah Valley would push its lead to eight with 6:34 on the clock (58-50), eventually making it an 11-point game with just over two minutes to play (66-55).
It seemed as though the game was over, but Southern Utah mounted a late run, cutting the deficit down to two with four seconds remaining, 70-68. There wasn’t enough time remaining to complete the comeback, however, as the Wolverines held on for the win.
Southern Utah’s Dominique Ford led all scorers in the game, dropping 28. Tavi Jackson added 16, but the T-birds shot just 38 percent from the field in the loss (27-of-71).
With the loss, SUU drops to 11-15 overall, including 3-9 in conference play. With four games to go, the T-birds sit eighth in the WAC standings.
Coach Jeter postgame
Up next
Southern Utah (11-15, 3-9 WAC) hits the road for three games next.
The T-birds will first travel to the Lone Star State, taking on Abilene Christian on Thursday, Feb. 20.
The game is slated to tip off at 6 p.m. MT and can be seen on ESPN+.
