Nov. 14, 2007

Box Score

JONESBORO, Ark. - In its third straight back-and-forth game to start the season, Utah Valley used a strong second half to erase a first-half deficit and pick up its first win of the season, a 67-63 victory over reigning Sun Belt West Division champion Arkansas State.

The Wolverines (1-2) had four of its five starters in double figures with Ryan Toolson leading the way with 20 points. Joe Walker, the only starter not to score in double figures, controlled the paint, pulling down 13 rebounds and swatting four shots away while scoring seven points. Jordan Brady added 14 points while shooting 70 percent from the field and pulled down nine rebounds.

"Arkansas State is a great team and we got off to a rough start," UV head coach Dick Hunsaker said. "I thought we left our energy in Milwaukee then we went to the bench and got a spark to start chipping away at the lead."

UV got off to a slow shooting start as Arkansas State jumped out to an early 11-0 lead. The Wolverines got on the board at the 13:35 mark on a Richard Troyer put back. UV responded to the Indians' run with a 10-0 spurt of its own over the next seven minutes initiated by a spark from Kevin Woods off the bench, who had a pair of drives and contested lay-ins.

The two teams played evenly for much of the rest of the half, with ASU getting a late 5-0 run and UV countering with a 4-0 skein to finish the stanza. The Indians took a 25-24 advantage to the break. The Wolverines didn't lead in the first half.

A pair of three-pointers by Toolson and Josh Olsen gave UV its first lead of the game as the Wolverines came out of the break firing on all cylinders. Utah Valley used a 10-5 run to build a 34-30 lead with 15:51 remaining in the half. Later, a three-point play by Walker and another three-ball from Toolson gave UV a 40-32 lead and forced ASU to call a time out.

With Utah Valley up 12, the Indians' Adrian Banks hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut UV's lead in half, the Wolverines responded with a 5-0 spurt on a Brady driving floater and another Toolson three-pointer.

After Utah Valley built a 52-43 lead with 7:45 remaining, ASU went on a 7-0 run to force a UV timeout with 4:41 remaining in the game. Olsen hit a three-pointer off a set play out of the timeout to expand the Wolverines lead to five at 55-50 with 3:43 left in the game.

The game was backlead until Olsen hit a running jumper with the shot clock running out to give the Wolverines a seven-point advantage with under one minute remaining. UV hit its foul shots down the stretch to seal the game.

"I was pleased with the composure and effort down the stretch," Hunsaker said.

After three on the road to start the season, the Wolverines will return home for their home-opener on Tuesday, Nov. 20. UV will face Troy University at 7:05 p.m. (MT)

The game will be carried live on AM 1400 KSTAR with Steve Watts calling the play-by-play action.