LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Ava Uhrich scored 23 points as Southern Utah routed Omaha 80-47 in a women’s nonconference basketball game Saturday at the LMU Tournament. The Thunderbirds (8-3) seized control with a 19-8 first quarter and led 44-18 at halftime. Omaha (1-12) never recovered, shooting just 29% from the floor. Southern Utah’s defense forced 18 turnovers, converting them into 25 points. Denver Anderson added 14 points for the Thunderbirds. Regan Juenemann led the Mavericks with 15 points. Southern Utah faces Loyola Marymount on Sunday, while Omaha meets Weber State.

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — The Southern Utah Thunderbirds delivered a dominant wire-to-wire performance, overwhelming the Omaha Mavericks 80-47 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at the LMU Tournament. From the opening tip, Southern Utah established a commanding presence, building a 19-8 lead after the first quarter and extending it to a 44-18 advantage by halftime. The Thunderbirds’ suffocating defense and efficient interior scoring rendered the contest a lopsided affair long before the final buzzer. The most decisive stretch of the game occurred in the second quarter, where Southern Utah outscored Omaha 25-10, effectively putting the game out of reach. The Thunderbirds’ defense forced a series of Maverick turnovers and held Omaha to just four made field goals in the period. This defensive lockdown, combined with a relentless attack in the paint, allowed Southern Utah to build an insurmountable 26-point halftime lead. Ava Uhrich, a 6-foot guard from Burlingame, California, led all scorers with 23 points in just 23 minutes of action. She added three assists and a block, spearheading the Thunderbirds’ offensive onslaught. Denver Anderson, a 6-1 forward from Mt. Zion, Illinois, provided a significant spark off the bench with 14 points, two assists and two blocks in only 14 minutes. Southern Utah’s statistical dominance was comprehensive. The Thunderbirds shot 48.3% from the floor, compared to Omaha’s 29.1%. They outscored the Mavericks 48-20 in the paint and converted 18 Omaha turnovers into 25 points. Defensively, Southern Utah recorded seven blocks and five steals, disrupting the Mavericks’ offensive flow throughout. Sierra Chambers of Southern Utah facilitated the offense with a game-high seven assists, while Olivia Malafu contributed 10 points and Ashley Banks added seven points and steady interior play. Omaha, which struggled offensively all season, was led by Regan Juenemann’s 15 points. Leekaya Burke-Perryman added 10 points and Daria Shelby finished with nine. The Mavericks managed only two assists as a team against 18 turnovers, highlighting their difficulties in generating cohesive offense. Southern Utah’s offensive rating of 115.2 points per 100 possessions starkly contrasted with Omaha’s rating of 66.5, underscoring the efficiency gap between the two teams. The victory improved Southern Utah’s season record to 8-3 as they continue non-conference tournament play. The loss dropped Omaha to 1-12 on the season, extending a difficult start to their campaign. Southern Utah next faces Loyola Marymount on Sunday in the tournament’s continuation. Omaha will look to regroup against Weber State, also on Sunday in Los Angeles. The game was played before an announced attendance of 102 at Gersten Pavilion.