California Baptist University
Utah Valley
WBB PREVIEW: Lancer Open Home WAC Slate Against Utah Valley
1/7/2025 9:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RIVERSIDE - A week after opening Western Athletic Conference play with a quality road win over Seattle U, the California Baptist women's basketball team returns home for another single-game week, hosting the Wolverines of Utah Valley. For the fifth straight season, CBU opens WAC play with a victory after a hard-fought 70-64 result over the Redhawks last weekend.
An argument could be made that the result is a double win with the return of sophomore sharpshooter Khloe Lemon, a 2023-24 WAC All-Freshman Team member. The Nebraska native had missed the entire non-conference slate rehabbing an injury but was fit and effective in the conference opener, putting up a game-high 18 points in 20 minutes of work. Four other Lancers also broke the double-digit scoring mark, highlighted by Anaiyah Tu'ua posting her first career points/assists double-double with a career-high 10 assists.
While Lemon's return to action is an undeniable boon for the Lancers, Grace Schmidt continues to remind people that she is still one of the WAC's elite players. The redshirt sophomore is one of just two WAC players to rank in the top five of scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentages while averaging a career-best 14.4 points and 7.9 boards per game.
UTAH VALLEY AT A GLANCE
The Wolverines also started the year 1-0 in league play but needed two overtimes to take down Abilene Christian in Texas, 64-63. Before they arrive in Riverside, UVU will stop off in Phoenix to take on Grand Canyon on Thursday night.
Utah Valley starts the week with a strong 9-4 record, which includes wins over CSU Bakersfield, Kennesaw State, and Weber State. The only blemishes on the Wolverine's resume this season are respectable road losses to BYU, Omaha, and Air Force and a single home falter to LMU.
The Wolverines lead with defense, topping the WAC in steals per game with 14.5, second in blocked shots with 4.15, and second in opponent field goal percentage, allowing just 37.3% shooting per game. Despite being middle to bottom of the list regarding the boards, UVU graduate transfer Danja Stafford-Collins paces the WAC in rebounding, grabbing 9.4 per game.
