WBB: Week Two Review
CBU survives in overtime at Southern Utah, Utah Tech breaks through for a win after losing Maddie Warren late in Thursday's loss against CBU, ACU squeaks by winless UT Arlington...
Week two of WAC play, particularly Saturday, was what we all thought we’d see from the jump. The two preseason regular season championship favorites narrowly survived upset bids and Utah Tech broke through for their first win of WAC play in the Old Hammer Rivalry.
Week 2 Review:
Home teams went 4-2 on the week and are currently 11-4 after two weeks with an average margin of victory of 13.2 points per game.
Utah Tech, after losing Maddie Warren to a season ending injury late in Thursday’s loss against CBU, responded by coming up with a gritty win against Utah Valley…overcoming 32 turnovers in the process. Kaylee Borden had 14 points in the win, missing a double-double by a rebound while Lauren Crocker connected on four 3-pointers, finishing with a career-high 13 points in the win. Chardonnay Hartley added 12 points.
After a disappointing loss at Utah Valley, ACU got back on the right track with two close home wins against Tarleton State and UT Arlington. Erin Woodson averaged 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game for the week.
By the Numbers:
83: Number of assists for the CBU offense in five WAC games so far.
32: Number of turnovers forced by the Utah Valley defense in Saturday’s loss against Utah Tech. A new season-high against a Division I opponent.
21: Number of points on Saturday for CBU’s Emma Johansson against Southern Utah, setting a new career-high.
9: Number of assists for Southern Utah’s Sierra Chambers in Saturday’s overtime loss to CBU, also a new career-high.
4: Number of 3-pointers for ACU’s Natalia Chavez in Saturday’s win over UT Arlington and Utah Tech’s Lauren Crocker in the Trailblazer’s win over Utah Valley.
Records in games decided by 10 points or less:
CBU: 3-3 (1-0 OT)
ACU: 3-5
SUU: 5-3 (1-1 OT)
UVU: 4-3
Tarleton State: 3-3 (1-2 OT)
Utah Tech: 4-4
UT Arlington: 3-3
WAC Student-Athletes/Teams on the NCAA Leaderboards:
After a 32 turnover effort on Saturday against Utah Tech, Utah Valley is now second in the country for turnovers forced at 27.88. Abilene Christian moved to 15th at 23.18 per game.
The Wolverines continue to lead the country in steals at 17.5 per game while Abilene Christian is T16 at 12.8.
CBU’s Filipa Barros stays in the national top 40 for assists per game at 5.1 per game (T35). She’s also 28th nationally in total assists at 91, 70th in assist/turnover ratio at 1.94, and T14 in double-doubles at eight.
Southern Utah’s Ava Uhrich is T21 in double-doubles with seven. Tarleton State’s Shadasia Brackens is T36 at six double-doubles.
UT Arlington’s Kira Reynolds and CBU’s Emma Johansson are both in the national top-10 for shots blocked per game. Reynolds is third at 3.0 per game while Johansson is seventh at 2.67.
After missing Saturday’s ACU win against UT Arlington, the Wildcats’ Meredith Mayes is still third in national field goal percentage at 68.24%.
Utah Valley’s Amanda Barcello is T5 in free throw percentage at 91.89% while Southern Utah’s Sierra Chambers is 34th at 87.5%.
Uhrich is also 30th in rebounding at 9.8 per game while Barros is T37 at 9.5. The Thunderbirds’ Brooklyn Fely is T75 at 8.4.
Barcello is also T13 nationally in made 3-pointers per game at three a game.
Weekly Awards:
Southern Utah’s Ava Uhrich earned her second Player of the Week award in three weeks with a pair of double-doubles as the TBirds split games with Utah Valley and California Baptist University. She is the first to repeat as Player of the Week this year.
Meanwhile, UT Arlington’s Kira Reynolds won her third Newcomer of the Week award in leading the Lady Mavs with 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four blocks during Saturday’s loss at Moody Coliseum. Reynolds is the first to reach three Newcomer of the Week selections this year.
Career Milestones:
ACU head coach Julie Goodenough recorded career win No. 550 in Thursday’s win at Moody Coliseum against Tarleton State.
Emma Johansson had a career scoring day on Saturday afternoon with 21 points in CBU’s overtime win at the America First Events Center.
Utah Tech’s Lauren Crocker connected on four 3-pointers, a career-high in the Trailblazers’ win over Utah Valley at Burns Arena to start the final (for right now at least…) series of Old Hammer Rivalry games.
Southern Utah’s Sierra Chambers set a new career-high in assists with nine in the TBirds overtime loss against CBU.
Power Rankings:
1. CBU (11-7, 5-0): The Lancers narrowly survived their first Utah trip with a pair of wins by ten points or less and have won five straight after losing six in a row before Christmas.
2. ACU (12-5, 3-1): The Wildcats nearly gave away a pair of games at Moody Coliseum last week but hung on and set up a matchup for first place on Thursday morning in Riverside. Big question is will ACU have Meredith Mayes for that matchup? Mayes, third in the country for field goal percentage as of Saturday morning, did not play in the win over UT Arlington after a late knee injury on Thursday.
3. Southern Utah (11-5, 3-1): The Thunderbirds, after a couple of tough seasons following their WAC championships in ‘23-’24, are going to be a tough out for everyone this year as demonstrated Saturday afternoon.
4. Utah Valley (9-7, 2-3): Tough week for the Wolverines, who dropped a pair of close games on their trip through the southern part of the Beehive State.
5. Tarleton State (7-8, 1-3): Texans have dropped three straight after winning the opener against UT Arlington but have a chance to right the ship at home this week.
6. Utah Tech (6-8, 1-3): The Trailblazers lost Maddie Warren to a season-ending injury late in Thursday night’s loss against CBU but overcame 32 turnovers to defeat Utah Valley in round 1 of the Old Hammer Rivalry.
7. UT Arlington (6-10, 0-4): The Lady Mavs are discovering just how razor-thin the line is between winning and losing after dropping consecutive games by a possession. They’ll be back in the College Park Center for a pair this week, looking to get back on track.
The Week Ahead:
Thursday, January 15, 2026»
11 A.M. PST: Abilene Christian University at California Baptist University
6:30 P.M. CST: Utah Tech at UT Arlington
7 P.M. CST: Southern Utah at Tarleton State
Idle: Utah Valley
Saturday, January 17, 2026»
1 P.M. CST: Utah Tech at Tarleton State and Southern Utah at Abilene Christian University
2 P.M. CST: Utah Valley at UT Arlington
Idle: California Baptist University