CEDAR CITY, Utah (Interstat) — Ava Uhrich scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the Southern Utah Thunderbirds used a dominant third quarter to overcome a strong performance from Abilene Christian’s Payton Hull and defeat the Wildcats 78-70 in a pivotal women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Sunday at Centrum Arena.

The victory, witnessed by 439 fans, moved both teams into a tie in the standings with identical 19-8 overall records. The game served as a rubber match after the teams split their two previous meetings this season.

Abilene Christian started strong, building a 16-10 lead after the first quarter behind Hull’s early scoring. The Wildcats maintained a narrow 26-24 advantage at halftime, but the game turned decisively in the third quarter.

Southern Utah erupted for 28 points in the period, outscoring Abilene Christian by 10. The Thunderbirds shot efficiently from the field and capitalized on Wildcats turnovers to fuel the run. Uhrich was instrumental during the surge, scoring from inside and controlling the glass, while Sierra Chambers added key perimeter shooting. The Thunderbirds took a 54-44 lead into the final quarter and never relinquished control, despite a late push from the visitors.

Hull, a guard from Peaster, Texas, kept Abilene Christian within striking distance with a game-high 30 points on 11-of-25 shooting, including four 3-pointers. Erin Woodson added 19 points for the Wildcats. Their efforts were not enough to overcome Southern Utah’s balanced attack and superior interior play.

The Thunderbirds shot 50.8% from the field, compared to 35.9% for Abilene Christian. Southern Utah also held a significant advantage in points in the paint and blocked seven shots, disrupting the Wildcats’ offense. Uhrich, a 6-foot forward from Burlingame, California, complemented her double-double with two blocks and two steals in 40 minutes of action.

Chambers finished with 17 points for Southern Utah, and Brooklyn Fely contributed 13 points and eight rebounds. Kortney Doman facilitated the offense with five assists.

For Abilene Christian, Breanna Davis scored 10 points and dished out four assists. The Wildcats were effective from beyond the arc, making 10 of 23 attempts, and committed only 13 turnovers, but were ultimately undone by Southern Utah’s third-quarter explosion and efficient scoring.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred early in the third quarter. With Abilene Christian holding a slim two-point lead, Southern Utah unleashed a 13-2 run over a three-minute span. The surge transformed a 32-29 deficit into a 42-34 lead for the Thunderbirds. Uhrich scored inside, Chambers hit a 3-pointer and a free throw, and Fely converted an and-one layup during the decisive stretch. The Wildcats never recovered the momentum, as Southern Utah continued to extend its lead throughout the quarter, building a double-digit cushion that proved insurmountable.

The result flipped the pregame projections, as statistical models had given Abilene Christian a 55% probability of winning on the road. Instead, Southern Utah secured a key conference victory at home.

Both teams continue their schedules later this week. Abilene Christian returns home to host Utah Tech on Thursday. Southern Utah hits the road to face Utah Tech on Saturday.