Nov. 30, 2007

Box Score

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - Robyn Fairbanks scored 28 points including the game-winning bucket with 6.9 seconds to go as Utah Valley moved to 7-0 on the year with a thrilling 83-81 win over Ohio at the Air Force Classic on Friday night.

Fairbanks hit to go ahead baskets in the final minute as the Wolverines have now won 10 straight dating back to last season.

The win puts the UV in the championship game against host Air Force at 4:30pm MT. Air Force defeated Hampton 85-84 in overtime in the opening game.

Sandy Marvin added 24 points and kept Utah Valley in the game in the first half while Fairbanks and third leading scorer Julie McMurray were both plagued by foul trouble.

Asumi Nakayama had 10 points and five assists, Rebekah Peterson had nine points and nine rebounds and Hollie Beaman added seven assists for the Wolverines, who overcame a four-point halftime deficit to earn the win.

Ohio (2-3) was led by Jennifer Bushby's 15 points off the bench but star Lauren Kohn, who came in averaging over 19 points per game, was held to six points by the Wolverine defense.

The game was tight the entire way as team led by more than eight points. Utah Valley took a 70-64 lead on a Fairbanks bucket with 8:05 left in the game but the Bobcats slowly chipped away and eventually took the lead on a Quintana Wark three-pointer with 3:22 left.

Fairbanks hit a free-throw and Marvin scored a left-handed layup to put UV back in front, 79-77 with 1:46 left.

Ohio tied it again on a Kohn layup with 59 seconds left before Fairbanks hit the first of her two big shots in the final minute with 46 seconds to go.

Bushby tied it again, the eighth and final tie of the game, before Fairbanks' heroics gave Utah Valley the win.

Ohio will face Hampton in the consolation game at 2pm prior to the championship between Utah Valley and Air Force.