Jan. 19, 2008
Box Score
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - A total team effort led Utah Valley to a big second half and an 85-74 win over Cal State Bakersfield on the road.
The Wolverines (7-13) trailed 36-35 at half and used a 50-38 second-half effort to pick up the win. Ryan Toolson led four Wolverines in double figures as he scored a game-high 32 points. Jordan Brady scored 13 while grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Richard Troyer and Josh Olsen rounded out UV's double-figures scorers with 11 apiece.
"I'm happy for our kids, it was a great effort," Utah Valley head coach Dick Hunsaker said. "We had four starters on the bench, at times, in foul trouble. Troyer, Olsen, Kevin (Woods), Matt (Komenda) and (Jordan) Swarbrick all stepped up. It was a superb effort on both sides of the floor by Toolson."
The game was even in the early going with the two teams trading the lead four times in the first six minutes. With Bakersfield ahead 13-11, Utah Valley went on a 9-0 run capped with a Toolson jumper to take a 20-13 lead with 10:30 remaining in the half.
The Wolverines extended their lead to as many as 12 points during the first half. After a Matt Komenda tip-in put UV up 35-24 with 3:20 in the half, the Roadrunners finished the period on a 12-0 run to take a one-point advantage to the break. Five of Bakersfield's 12 points came from the foul line during the stretch.
Toolson led all first-half scorers with 16 points while hitting four three-point shots. Alex Johnson led the Runners with nine first-half points.
Utah Valley came out firing to re-gain the lead early in the second half. Toolson scored the first seven points for the Wolverines, giving UV a 43-41 lead on a three-point play.
Brady then Toolson were each whistled for their fourth fouls with over 13 minutes remaining in the game. Troyer, Olsen and Woods stepped up for the Wolverines as they extended their lead during the eight-minute stretch Toolson and Brady had to sit. UV extended its lead to 10 at 64-54 on back-to-back buckets by Woods.
When the two returned, UV was nursing a three-point advantage. On Toolson's first possession back, he banked in a deep three-pointer with the shot clock expiring to put UV up by six and start an 8-0 Wolverines run that put the game away for good. UV hit foul shots down the stretch to hold on for the victory.
With the five-game road trip over, Utah Valley will return home for its season-long, three-game home stand. The Wolverines will host North Carolina Central Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. (MT)
