ST. GEORGE, Utah (Interstat) — A pair of in-state rivals seeking momentum in Western Athletic Conference play will meet Saturday when the Utah Valley Wolverines visit the Utah Tech Trailblazers in a women’s basketball matchup at Burns Arena.

Utah Valley (8-6, 2-1 WAC) enters having split its first two conference road games, most recently falling 76-68 at Southern Utah on Thursday. The Wolverines’ offense runs through guard Amanda Barcello, who is averaging 14.6 points per game. She scored 21 points in the loss to Southern Utah and had a 23-point performance in a 69-67 win over Abilene Christian on Jan. 3. Support comes from Saige Gibb, who added 11 points against Southern Utah.

The host Trailblazers (5-8, 0-2) are looking for their first WAC victory after opening conference play with home losses to Abilene Christian (81-51) and California Baptist (75-67). In the loss to CBU, Maddie Warren led Utah Tech with 16 points, while Paige Cofer added 13 points. Warren has been a consistent scorer, reaching double figures in nine games this season.

Utah Valley holds the superior overall record and has shown a potent offense in wins, including a 97-point outing against La Sierra in December. However, consistency has been an issue, with setbacks including a 51-point performance in a loss at California Baptist. Utah Tech has struggled against stronger competition, with its victories coming against teams like Chicago State and Westminster.

The Wolverines have controlled recent non-conference meetings, but this marks their first clash as WAC foes. The game could hinge on which team establishes defensive control early. Utah Valley will aim to leverage Barcello’s scoring burst to offset a road environment, while Utah Tech needs Warren and Cofer to provide efficient offense to spark an upset.

Saturday’s contest is the first of a regular-season home-and-home series. The teams will meet again in Orem on Feb. 12.

Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. MST at Burns Arena on the campus of Utah Tech University.