Utah Valley women’s basketball will begin its run in the 2026 Air Force Reserve Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Basketball Tournament as the No. 4 seed, facing No. 5 seed Tarleton State on Thursday, March 12. The game is set for a 1 p.m. Mountain Time tipoff at Orleans Arena.
The tournament holds significance for Utah Valley as the team aims to build on recent momentum and advance further than previous years. The Wolverines have won six of their last seven games, including victories over Southern Utah and Utah Tech in their final regular season weekend.
In their most recent outings, Utah Valley saw strong performances from several players. Kylee Mabry led with 17 points against Utah Tech, while Kaylee Headrick, Amanda Barcello, and Cambree Blackham all scored in double figures during a win over Southern Utah. The team recorded 25 steals in that game, marking the third-highest single-game total in program history against a Division I opponent.
Thursday’s matchup will be the fourth meeting between Utah Valley and Tarleton State this season, with the Wolverines holding a 3-0 record so far. Tarleton State is led by Jakoriah Long, who averages 12 points per game but has been held to single digits twice by Utah Valley this year. Freshman center Elodie Lutbert has also contributed significantly for Tarleton State.
Historically, Utah Valley leads the all-time series against Tarleton State nine games to three and will play them on a neutral floor for the first time in both teams’ WAC Tournament history. Under head coach Dan Nielson, the Wolverines are seeking their first appearance in the WAC Championship game after compiling a tournament record of five wins and eleven losses.
Sophomore guard Cambree Blackham recently earned All-WAC honors after averaging career highs in points and assists while setting a new school record with 81 steals this season. Should Utah Valley win Thursday’s contest, they would advance to face top-seeded California Baptist in Friday’s semifinal.
