ST. GEORGE — The Utah Tech women’s basketball team rolled to an 88-69 home win over the University of Texas Arlington on Saturday at Burns Arena, securing a spot in the Western Athletic Conference postseason tournament for the second year in a row.
Utah Tech’s Breaunna Gillen drives against UT-Arlington in a WAC women’s basketball game, St. George, Utah, Feb. 24, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Senior Breaunna Gillen, who recently vaulted to the top of the career scorer’s list at Utah Tech, poured in a game-high 38 points to lead the Trailblazers to victory over the Mavericks.
The 16-11 Trailblazers improved to 10-6 in the WAC standings, good for fourth-place.
With two weeks and four games left on the WAC schedule, Utah Tech is guaranteed to play in the WAC postseason tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada in mid-March.
An active first half saw the teams play to a 38-38 tie at the midway point of Saturday’s contest.
Maddie Warren made two free throws and Gillen converted an old fashioned 3-point play to open the third and the home team went ahead by five.
Warren and Gillen teamed for back-to-back 3’s and Gillen hit another bucket and Utah Tech upped its advantage to 51-44.
Calyn Dallas had a steal and score, then McCord’s and-1 put the Trailblazers comfortably ahead by 10, then McCord’s high-arcing 3-pointer and Gillen’s two free throws upped their lead to 12 at 61-49.
Utah Tech’s Maddie Warren scores against UT-Arlington in a WAC women’s basketball game, St. George, Utah, Feb. 24, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Later McCord would splash another 3 and Gillen assisted a McCord bucket in transition, putting the home team ahead for good 74-57 at the 8-minute mark of the final quarter.
Gillen paired 10 rebounds along with her 38 points for a double-double. McCord just missed that feat with her 19 points and nine rebounds.
Warren finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. Dallas netted eight points for the cause and Catelyn Deaver rounded out Utah Tech’s scoresheet with a 3-pointer and seven points.
UT Arlington (14-13, 10-7 WAC) got a team high 22 points from Avery Brittingham, who also had a double-double with 10 rebounds for the Mavericks. Gia Adams scored 16 points and Taliyah Clark netted 10 points in the setback.
Utah Tech now embarks to Texas for its final road trip of the regular season. The Trailblazers play at Tarleton State on Feb. 29 and then at Abilene Christian on March 2.
The Utah Tech men’s team was in Arlington on Saturday afternoon to face the Mavericks and opened up a 13-point lead in the first half before falling in the end, 89-78.
Aric Demings led the Trailblazers with 19 points and Jaylen Searles added 14 for the cause, but it would not be enough to prevent Utah Tech’s ninth consecutive loss on the road.
Utah Tech’s Noa Gonsalves, here in a file photo against Tarleton State, and the Trailblazers will host the Texans at Burns Arena, St. George, Utah. Feb. 29, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The 10-17 Trailblazers fell to 6-10 in the WAC standings, alone in ninth-place of the 11-team WAC.
Utah Tech has work to do over the next two weeks. The team needs to finish in eighth-place or better in the final conference standings to qualify for the WAC postseason tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada in mid-March.
The Trailblazers turned the ball over 20 times against the Mavericks, directly leading to 25 points for the home team.
UT-Arlington was paced by Makaih Williams and his 23 points in the win. DaJuan Gordon chipped in with 17 points for the Mavericks.
The Mavericks finished with 17 assists compared to seven for the Trailblazers. UT-Arlington also finished with more steals (10 to seven) and more blocks (four to two) than the visitors.
Utah Tech comes home to St. George next week for its final regular season homestand.
The Trailblazers face the No. 2 team in the WAC, Tarleton State, in Burns Arena Feb. 29 at 7 p.m.
Then Utah Tech concludes its home regular season March 2 at 7 p.m. against Abilene Christian. The Wildcats are one game ahead of Utah Tech in the WAC standings.
Photo Gallery
Utah Tech’s Maggie McCord looks to pass against UT-Arlington in a WAC women’s basketball game, St. George, Utah, Feb. 24, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech’s Breaunna Gillen drives against UT-Arlington in a WAC women’s basketball game, St. George, Utah, Feb. 24, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech’s Maggie McCord looks to pass against UT-Arlington in a WAC women’s basketball game, St. George, Utah, Feb. 24, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Utah Tech’s Maddie Warren scores against UT-Arlington in a WAC women’s basketball game, St. George, Utah, Feb. 24, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.