: Sean Ellertson is a sports reporter for the St. George Spectrum & Daily News. Daugherty was one of the best free throw shooters in the conference, and her 83.2% earned her ninth in the SUU record book. Associate Head Coach. : She averaged 11.3 points per game and shot a team-high 56.1% from the field. And again, a balanced scoring attack saw Daugherty, Whitman and Samantha Johnston also contribute buckets and free throws, closing out the period with the T-Birds up 53-41. Copyright 2023 Southern Utah University. CEDAR CITY, Utah - In its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, the Southern Utah University women's basketball team clinched the No. The Southern Utah University womens basketball team took two wins this week as the Western Athletic Conference began competition. Sanders and her staff have been able to put SUU on the map for mid-major womens basketball. "Kinlee will bring some great depth at the perimeter position," said Sanders. Vin Cappiello has been involved in journalism in various capacities since age 16, when his first story was published in the Rockland County Journal-News in suburban New York CIty. During a seven-game span that led up to the Thunderbirds matchup against the University of Notre Dame, Whitman averaged 17.4 points and seven rebounds and converted on 36% of her three-point attempts. California Baptist's Chloe Webb scored 21 points and Sila Finau 15. This year, the Utes will face Penn State. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds fouled once more, sending NMSU to the line where they failed on both attempts, and a scrambling rebound gave SUU one last chance with just three seconds left. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Box Score. After the teams combined for just 16 points in the second quarter which ended with the Thunderbirds ahead 31-23, they combined for 42 in the third. Rob Jeter to rebuild program on foundation of faith, family, discipline and humility, Leavitt Center and International Rescue Committee team up to raise supplies and funds for refugees, Southern Utah University Women's Basketball, Art Challis: The voice of the Thunderbirds, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnR7Qpa9dTk&ab_channel=SUTV-9News. "She's a tremendous defender; but, she is also highly skilled on the offensive end of the floor. CEDAR CITY, Utah - Southern Utah University Women's golf team and head coach Tara Oglesby are excited to announce the signing of Ellie Olsen. During that span, the Thunderbirds' only loss was to No. Cherita Daugherty was the star of the show and scored 26 points, her season high. The Thunderbirds were plus-12 on the boards. Southern Utahs three-point attempt would rattle in and out on their next possession, forcing them to foul, and send NMSU to the free-throw line, where push their lead back to 59-54 with 13 seconds remaining. Copyright 2023, Saint Louis University. The official 2021-22 Women's Basketball schedule for the Missouri Southern State University Lions Sport Navigation Menu. Jensen also had 10 rebounds in the game, working with her point total to give her a third double-double on the season. They were also outrebounded by SUU and allowed nine offensive rebounds along with 10 second chance points. Southern Utah University women's basketball will make the trek up I-15 to face the No. Tyler Francis - SUU Athletic Communications, TicketSmarter: Official Ticket Resale Partner, George S. Eccles Sports Performance Center, Womens Basketball Names Allyson Fasnacht Associate Head Coach, Women's Basketball Head Coach Tracy Sanders Inks Five Year Contract Extension, Southern Utahs Historic Season Comes to a Close Against Notre Dame, Thunderbirds to Battle Fighting Irish in First Round of NCAA Tournament, LETS DANCE: Daugherty Shines as Southern Utah Claims WAC Tournament Championship, Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital. Full Bio. Get the latest Utah sports news delivered to your inbox. Williamson, who stands 6-foot-5 and hails from Australia, had eight points in the frame, and California Baptist was unable to compete with her height advantage. Full Bio. On Dec. 29, they beat the Utah Tech University Trailblazers at home by a score of 76-61. (Sean Ellertson/USA TODAY NETWORK) Southern Utah women's basketball entered the WAC Tournament with the best regular-season record and a very good chance to secure the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Multiple players that played college football in Utah received minicamp invitations following the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft. The New Mexico State women lose 62-61 in the WAC quarterfinals to Southern Utah on an impossible 1-handed heave at the buzzer from Cherita Daugherty. Webb, who paced California Baptist with 21 points, then stole a Thunderbird pass on the next possession, but teammate Filipa Barros missed a 3-pointer. Toomer earned NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention honors for Utah State Eastern last year and adds another body to the increasingly busy backcourt. The Thunderbirds and the Aggies were neck and neck as soon as the game started, swapping the lead four times in the first quarter. After this week, Southern Utahs overall record stands at 6-7, with a 2-0 record in the WAC. Name POS HT Class Birthplace; Aishah Anis 4. Cherita Daugherty kept Southern Utah's NCAA Tournament hopes alive with her buzzer-beater. Nov 9 (Wed) W, 102-60. Final. After New Mexico State halted the run with a layup, the Thunderbirds exploded out onto a dominant 15-2 run, courtesy of three straight triples from Whitman and a clutch pickpocketing steal, and a fast-break layup from Ballena to put Southern Utah within one 36-35 at the end of the third. Haidara, Mia We pride ourselves on becoming our best version on and off the court. This was true for a majority of their games this season, as they pulled out multiple fourth-quarter comebacks. Press releases and news tips may be sent to [emailprotected]. 14 seed in the Greenville 1 region and will face third-seeded Notre Dame on Friday, Mar. Southern Utah led by 10 heading into the final quarter. On the season, she averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and one assist per game. The Western Athletic Conference announced that its partnership with the ASUN Conference has been rebranded as the United Athletic Conference. Southern Utah stifled offensive powerhouse Utah Tech early on, giving up just four points in the first quarter. A post shared by Southern Utah Womens (@suuwbasketball). Junior guard Daylani Ballena was a big contributor for the Thunderbirds as well by scoring 10 points of her own and dishing out seven assists. Always ready: Guards Tomekia Whitman and Samantha Johnston both played valuable minutes in the starting lineup this year. 4 California Baptist started to foul, but the Thunderbirds were up to the challenge. Their second matchup against Sam Houston State University was a 60-55 victory on Jan. 14. Updated March 11, 2023, 7:36 p.m.: Replaces main photo with team photo. The Southern Utah University women's basketball team swept their home games this week with two huge wins. They committed 24 fouls and gave up 17 points to SUU as a result. Daylani Ballena added 14 points and Megan Jensen 12. She played in 24 games and showed a more aggressive style of play on the offensive end. "Tomekia comes in with a ton of experience and will have a huge impact on our program," SUU Head CoachTracy Sanders said. Olmstead, Christy I'm proud of our fight and excited to see what we do in the tournament.". But Whitman hit a 3-pointer to start a 10-6 quarter-ending run for a 53-43 lead. pic.twitter.com/sURXwUxYC8 Colin Deaver. Former Syracuse Orange women's basketball standout Tiana Mangakahia, 28, is retiring from the sport after being diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer, she announced on social media Sunday. The Thunderbirds never gave up in any game, which is why they were able to make it so far this season. SUU lost a bit of their defensive flare as the game went on, though, and Utah Tech outscored them in the second quarter. Jensen averaged 6.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for the Wolverines, appearing in all 31 games. SUU Athletics 2 of 3 The Southern Utah Thunderbirds earned their first ever NCAA Tournament berth after winning the WAC Tournament. "World's Greatest" Pep Band. Tyler Francis - SUU Athletic Communications. Olsen graduated from Wasatch High School and will be joining the team in the Fall of 2023. LAS VEGAS A last-second three-point heave from Cherita Daugherty sent the entirety of Orleans Arena into pandemonium Wednesday night as the Southern Utah University women's basketball. Connor, Nafatoumata Vin and Maggie are 3rd-degree and Lisa is a 2nd-degree black belt in taekwondo. 12 Utah women's basketball defeats Southern Utah by a final score of 90-56 on Thursday, Dec. 22 in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill). Bright or not, that future won't. After an amazing tenure at SUU, many thought that Sanders would be heading to a bigger school, but she inked a five-year extension that makes her the head coach until the end of the 2027-28 season. Turnovers almost took SUU out of the game. Grace Schmidt added 10 points and Trinity San Antonio grabbed 11 rebounds. (); : The Lancers got within six after a 3-pointer by Dorcas Wu with 29.6 seconds remaining but didn't connect again as Ballena sank three free throws. If anything, this would be the only disappointment from the SUU womens basketball team. Jensen scored a career-high 19 points against Portland State and played a career-high 35 minutes against SUU. Ballenas percentage from three-point land tied her with Teresa Smith for second all-time in a season. With both players likely returning next year, fans can expect the centers to make even more plays for each other in the paint. Southern Utah was the regular-season champion but was seeded second based on the conference's resume-seeding system. They are currently at the top of the conference standings. Calhoun, Brooklyn Williamson added 13 points and 12 rebounds and Whitman 12 points and 11 rebounds. Southern Utah Thunderbirds Roster. Sanders led the Thunderbirds to a 23-win season, which is tied for the most victories in a year for SUU and earned her WAC Coach of the Year honors. After a historic final year as a Thunderbird, Daugherty earned: Most improved player: Center Megan Jensen upped her level of play as a Thunderbird from her junior year at Utah Valley University. Cedar City, UT America First Event Center. Tomekia Whitman had a scorching second half and led the No. Vin also is the author of the young adult novel, "A Quarter Mile From Home." Johns, Rebecca Both graduate transfers are immediately eligible to play for the Women of Troy . Southern Utah University ran the table at the Hercules Tires Western Athletic Conference women's basketball tournament, claiming the title Saturday evening with a convincing 82-73 win over. The Lancers got within six after a 3-pointer by Dorcas Wu with 29.6 seconds remaining but didnt connect again as Ballena sank three free throws. Southern Utah began the fourth quarter with fire as they spurted out onto an 8-2 sprint off three buckets from Ballena and a second-chance layup from Whitman to give them the lead back, 43-38, with 8:30 remaining in the fourth. To keep a year of eligibility, SUU had Jensen redshirt for the 2022-23 season. Rebecca Tillett. SUU put its foot on the gas to start the half, bolting out onto a 6-0 run as Whitman and Ballena sunk pull-up jumpers and Daugherty made a second-chance layup to trim the score to 30-20 with 5:01 left in the quarter. The Lancers continued to foul, sending Ballena to the line on the next two SUU possessions. ); : The chemistry that Williamson and she were able to create in such a short period of time definitely helped increase her production. Click here to see tournament brackets on the WAC conferences website. Coach Tracy Sanders cuts down the net after Southern Utah University won the Western Athletic Conference title at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., Marc 11, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Western Athletic Conference, St. George News Colloton, Kelsey Director of Scouting and Program Development, Hide/Show Additional Information For Kyla McMakin, Hide/Show Additional Information For Camree Clegg, Hide/Show Additional Information For Kennedy Calhoun, Hide/Show Additional Information For Brooklyn Gray, Hide/Show Additional Information For Isabel Tillett, Hide/Show Additional Information For Julia Martinez, Hide/Show Additional Information For Tierra Simon, Hide/Show Additional Information For Ashleigh Connor, Hide/Show Additional Information For Nafatoumata Haidara, Hide/Show Additional Information For Mia Nicastro, Hide/Show Additional Information For Marcavia Shavers, Hide/Show Additional Information For Peyton Kennedy, Hide/Show Additional Information For Briana Johns. The Thunderbirds stayed in control and were ahead by double digits for the majority of the game, leading to their 15 point win. The Official Facebook page of the Southern Utah University Women's Basketball Team #TBirdNation Williamson added 13 points and 12 rebounds and Whitman 12 points and 11 rebounds. She also collected 12 rebounds for the Thunderbirds, with five of them coming off the offensive glass. Williamson hauled in 329 total rebounds this year, which places her first in program history for total rebounds in a season. During the U20 Nationals in 2021, she averaged 15.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Tickets. Southern Utah started the game with a smooth pick-and-roll layup on a dime from Ballena to Lizzy Williamson and a Ballena top-of-the-key three-pointer. Full Bio. She shot 60% from the field and 88.9% from the free throw line. They gave up 22 turnovers and allowed New Mexico State to score 20 points off of them. [2] History Southern Utah began play in 1975. The Thunderbirds will learn Sunday evening who they will face in the opening round when the tournament field is revealed during a national broadcast on ESPN. 2 seeded Thunderbirds offensively with 18 points on 3-of-7 shooting from downtown, six rebounds, and a block. . Head Coach. The game time will be announced at a later date. Fans can expect more of the same for the upcoming season. This will be the Thunderbirds' second conference matchup this season. To continue to support his work, please subscribe to The Spectrum. After a historic final year as a Thunderbird, Daugherty earned: Center Megan Jensen upped her level of play as a Thunderbird from her junior year at Utah Valley University. Johnston was second on the team for three-point percentage at 34% and nearly doubled her assists from the year before with an average of 2.2 per game. The Aggies began to take control in the second quarter and led by as many as 10 points before the Thunderbirds cut their deficit down to just five going into halftime. Visit ESPN to view the Southern Utah Thunderbirds Women's Basketball Team Roster. The chemistry that Williamson and she were able to create in such a short period of time definitely helped increase her production. Williamson hauled in 329 total rebounds this year, which places her first in program history for total rebounds in a season. Whitman has two years of eligibility remaining. "We've worked really hard all season and it's fun to see it all come together and to win the conference. The Aggies would go to the free throw line on the following sequence and stretch their lead to 57-54 with 26 seconds left. This will be the first time the Thunderbirds and the Redhawks will compete against each other. She also hauled in 5.8 rebounds and eliminated nearly one shot per game. All rights reserved. 2023 www.thespectrum.com. Daugherty was 8 of 13 from the floor and 10 of 13 at the line. KSL Sports SOUTH BEND, Indiana - The Southern Utah women's basketball team traveled to Purcell Pavilion to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament on Friday. March 9, 2023. Utah Valley transfer forward Megan Jensen committed to the Thunderbirds back on March 30. Southern Utah is finalizing a contract to hire Rob Jeter as the Thunderbirds' new men's basketball head coach, according to Pete Thamel. From padded lace knickerbockers and pannier skirts to ruched peplums on men and women alike, Simon's approach was to strip heavy period references back to their underpinnings before mingling . Now they rank in the top 10 teams in the Western Conference. After the two teams traded missed 3-pointers to start the second quarter, Ballena fired a pass to Jensen whose short jumper upped the lead to 23-17. Shavers, Peyton California Baptists Chloe Webb scored 21 points and Sila Finau 15. Cherita Daugherty, who led all scorers with 26 points and was voted Most Outstanding Player, added to Southern Utahs balanced scoring with a bucket and two free throws, and Lizzy Williamson also had a field goal and free throw. LAS VEGAS (AP) Cherita Daugherty scored 26 points, Lizzy Williams and Tomekia Whitman had double-doubles and Southern Utah beat California Baptist 82-73 on Saturday to win the Western Athletic. Main Navigation Menu. As a Wolverine, she averaged 6.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and shot 53.7% from the field. Recruiting Coordinator/Assistant Coach. Martinez, Tierra Southern Utah's players and coaches watched the tournament selection show with fans at the Sharwan Smith Student Center Living room Sunday. Jensen . Boxscore Boxscore for Women's Basketball vs Grand Canyon University on March 10, 2023 // Recap Story recap for Women's Basketball vs Grand Canyon University on March 10, 2023. California Baptist was the fourth seed. (); : She has the ability to play multiple positions on the court for us, and we are so excited to have Tomekia join us.". All rights reserved. They struggled on defense as well and gave up 34 points in the paint. SUU is now 3-4 all-time against New Mexico State. They allowed one field goal and one free throw within the first 10 minutes. Follow Sean on Twitter @SeanEllertson. Ht. RELATED: Southern Utah Womens Basketball Advances To WAC Semifinals On Buzzer-Beater. After missing 12 games, she worked her way back onto the court and gave SUU a spark off the bench. The Trailblazers were held to a 31.7% field goal percentage and made just 20 shots from the field. 3. In her junior season, Johnston filled in for the injured Whitman and played with the next woman up mentality.
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