2023-24 WAC WBB Release - Week Fifteen 

SEE YA IN WACVEGAS
Grand Canyon and California Baptist are the first two of eight teams to officially clinch a spot in the 2024 Hercules Tires WAC Basketball Tournament. On Feb. 10, Grand Canyon defeated Southern Utah 77-61 to push the Lopes conference record to 12-1 (20-4 overall), while California Baptist beat Utah Tech 73-65 to advance to 11-1 in the WAC (19-2 overall).
 
FIGHTING FOR THE TOP SPOT  
Last week Grand Canyon took the lead in the WAC Résumé Seeding System rankings for the first time during the 2023-24 campaign with 4.54 points. In the latest rankings that were compiled on Feb. 11, California Baptist took back the lead with 5.19 points. Grand Canyon is in second with 4.87. Stephen F. Austin (0.74) is the only other team with a positive point value. Utah Tech (-1.21) and UT Arlington (-1.33) rounded out the top five teams in the most recent seeding system rankings.
 
GOOD NEWS, WAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WILL BE ON TV!
The final game of the WAC women’s basketball championship will be shown live on ESPNU at 10:30 a.m. PT on March 16. The 2024 women’s championship contest will mark the first WAC women’s title game to be carried live on linear TV since 2016.
 
TWO CAN TANGO
WAC Player of the Week Chloe Webb and WAC Newcomer of the Week Gia Adams went head-to-head as California Baptist traveled to UT Arlington on Feb, 8. The game came down to the wire as Webb knocked down a game-winning floater with under two seconds left to seal the midweek 94-92 road victory for California Baptist. Webb tallied 32 points, her third 30-plus game of the season. Adams recorded a season-high 24 points for UT Arlington, shooting 4-of-7 from beyond the 3-point line and added five rebounds.
 
LOOK AT THE VAQUEROS GO   
UTRGV secured a major home victory, as the Vaqueros took down Stephen F. Austin 62-49 on Feb. 8. UTRGV held the ‘Jacks to a 24.6 field goal percentage and a 26.1 3-point percentage. Kade Hackerott was the leading scorer for the Vaqueros, recording her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Iyana Dorsey chipped in with 15 points and two assists.
 
GILLEN GETTING IT DONE AGAIN  
Utah Tech’s senior guard Breaunna Gillen enjoyed another solid week, averaging 20.0 points on a combined 44.1 percent shooting (15-of-34) and 2-of-9 (.222) from the perimeter in the ‘Blazers two-game road split this week. She also averaged 7.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.5 steals. On Feb. 8 against Southern Utah, she scored 15 of her team-high 23 points in the second half. Then in the Blazers’ tough road loss at California Baptist, Gillen just missed her third triple-double of the year, as she led the team with 17 points, 11 boards and eight assists.
 
WAC IN THE NATIONAL STATS RANKINGS  
In the latest NCAA Division I national statistics report on Feb. 13, three teams were ranked in the top 10 in 3-point attempts per game. California Baptist checked in at fourth (29.6), Utah Tech at fifth with 29.5 and Abilene Christian ranked sixth (29.1). California Baptist ranked fifth in defensive rebounds per game with 31.7, while Utah Tech ranked sixth with 31.6. California Baptist is sixth in the nation in winning percentage with 90.5. Utah Valley was sixth in bench points per game with 29.2.
 
I WOULDN’T MISS THIS GAME IF I WERE YOU   
After a lengthy back and forth battle for first place in both the WAC standings and the WAC Résumé Seeding System rankings, Grand Canyon and California Baptist will meet for the first time this season. On Saturday, Feb. 17, the Lopes will travel to Riverside for a challenging matchup, as the Lancers look to claim the top spot in the WAC and maintain first place in the seeding system rankings. Watch on ESPN+ at 1 p.m. PT.