California Baptist University
12-19,9-7WAC
3-Seed UT Arlington
16-12,10-6WAC
Lancers Rally Falls Short in WAC Tournament First Round Exit
3/13/2025 6:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LAS VEGAS - California Baptist women's basketball battled the UT Arlington Lady Mavs for the second time in six days, this time in the quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament. CBU led early before UTA controlled most of the game, and a late push by the Lancers got them within three, but ultimately fell short 72-66 in Las Vegas.
Junior forward Grace Schmidt was incredible on Thursday, scoring a game-high 23 points on 7-8 shooting from the field and 8-11 from the free throw line, nearly posting a double-double with nine rebounds. Anaiyah Tu'ua was everywhere for CBU, scoring 11 points, grabbing eight boards, and dishing out six assists. Khloe Lemon was the third and final Lancer in double figures, battling foul trouble while being held to just 10 points on the day.
The game started with CBU jumping out to an 11-6 lead before the first media timeout, but UTA's meeting at that break was beneficial as they finished the frame on a 14-0 run to go up 20-11 at the end of the first. The Lancers would battle back in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to eight at 34-26, but again, the Mavs would close strong and go into the half with an 11-point advantage.
California Baptist would come out of the locker room with energy, connecting on three of their first four shots, including a pair of triples, but the Lady Mavs were relentless, answering with a 9-3 run to keep their lead secure. By the end of the third period, UTA had built a 13-point lead and were confident going into their huddle.
The Lancers regrouped between quarters and immediately set their gameplan in motion, seemingly taking the Lady Mavs by surprise with a 13-2 run to cut the difference to just two. After a UTA timeout to try and stop the bleeding, the Lady Mavs regained their footing and traded baskets for the rest of the quarter. Bosch Duran connected on a huge, arching three-pointer with 23 seconds left to make it 69-66 UTA, but that would prove to be the final basket of the Lancer's season, with UTA adding three more points to secure their win.
The loss ends CBU's 12-19 (9-7 WAC) 2024-25 season, which was riddled with injuries; only Emma Johansson was healthy enough to suit up for all 31 games. The departures of Tu'ua and Duran will be a blow to a solid backcourt, but returning up to 70% of this year's scoring will help jump-start the offseason work. Returning starters Schmidt, Lemon, Johansson, the reigning Freshman of the Year, CeCe Legaspi, and the expected return of Filipa Barros should position CBU women's basketball for a return to normal for the 2025-26 season
