OREM, Utah - Utah Valley State freshman Sandy Marvin scored a career high 23 points to lead six players in double figures as the Wolverines notched their 10th win of the season, 91-78 over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Marvin, who hit 4-for-7 from the three point line, also dished out four assists and pulled down four rebounds despite battling a touch of the flu.
"We debated even starting her," said UV head coach Cathy Nixon. "But I thought that maybe being sick would help her relax and she really did come out to a good start."
"I knew my body wasn't fully strengthened so I was just trying to set up other people and that helped me get open," said Marvin.
The Wolverines also got career high 12 from Veva Whitear on their way to a season high 91 points. Rounding out the six in double figures were Robyn Fairbanks, who had 19 points and seven rebounds, Rebekah Peterson who scored 14 and Miriam Palkki and Hollie Beaman each added 11 points apiece.
"Sandy got us off to that good start and Hollie has been playing well. That's huge for us to have six players in double figures," said Nixon.
Corpus Christi was led by Terra Andrews' 25 points and eight rebounds. Kirbria Lewis had a good overall game with 12 points, eight assists and three rebounds for the Islanders.
"I knew (Corpus Christi) would be a big challenge for us. They have some very athletic kids," said Nixon. "But we came out offensively on the attack and were able to hit some shots. We did a good job of weathering their storms."
The Wolverines jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead just over a minute into the game. They quickly stretched that lead to 14-3 before taking as much as a 17 point lead at 36-19 with 7:09 remaining in the 1st half.
Corpus Christi used a 10-1 run from there to get the lead back into single digits at 37-29 on a jumper by Andrews with 3:08 left in the half. UV carried a 43-34 lead into the break.
Utah Valley State hit 13 of its first 20 shots to begin the game but cooled considerably, hitting just 3-for-13 the rest of the 1st half. Fairbanks and Marvin both had 12 points at the half while the Wolverines assisted on 13 of their 16 made field goals.
Utah Valley scored five quick points to begin the 2nd half to take a 48-34 lead, but the Islanders would not go way. They slowly chipped away at the lead getting as close as five points, with as late as 6:31 left when Fairbanks' picked up her fifth foul.
But Peterson, who scored all 14 of her points in the 2nd half, then scored six straight to put the Wolverines up 11 and put the game out of reach.
"She did (step up). Not only offensively but defensively as well and we needed that. She made a definite contribution on both ends of the court," said Nixon.
Beaman, who hails from Kingwood, Texas which is about four hours out of Corpus Christi, also dished out seven assists in helping Utah Valley State to its third straight win over Division-I Independents and a season high third straight win overall. UV had a season high 22 assists in the game.
The 91 points scored by Utah Valley State is a season high as well and a school record against a Division-I opponent. It's also the 2nd highest scoring total that Corpus Christi has given up all-time, with the exception being 92 points allowed against Baylor earlier this season.
Up next is a rematch with Northern Colorado on Tuesday, February 21st at 4:30pm in the McKay Center. Utah Valley picked up its first road win of the season at Northern Colorado on February 11th.
