Nov. 15, 2008
Box Score
OREM, Utah - Five different players reached double figures led by 22 points from Robyn Fairbanks as Utah Valley rebounded from Friday's loss for a big 83-39 win over Mesa State on Saturday afternoon.
Fairbanks was 10-for-11 from the field while Kayla Burningham and Sandy Marvin-Wall both had 14 points. Julie McMurray added 12 and 10 rebounds and Lauren Smith had 10 points and a career-high 12 boards for her first career double-double.
"She went in there with no fear and an attitude and just established herself physicially," said head coach Cathy Nixon of Smith. "She's been working hard, she had a great off-season and I'm excited for her."
Defensively, the Wolverines (1-1) forced 26 turnovers and limited the Mavericks to 28.6 percent (16-for-56) from the field while also winning the rebounding battle 44-to-27. UVU offset its own 23 turnovers by hitting 55.4 percent (31-for-56) from the field including 9-of-16 (56.3) from the three-point line.
"When we do play good team defense I think we're going to be a very good team. Defense and rebounding is where we have to find our identity," said Nixon. "I hope that we can learn a lesson that if we can focus on the process, regardless of who we play, that we can be successful."
After a sluggish start allowed Mesa State to take a 13-9 lead midway through the opening half, the Wolverines rattled of 15 straight points to take a 24-13 advantage and control of the game. Kim Koeven's three with 9:37 left in the first half gave UVU a 14-13 edge, a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Overall, the Wolverines ended the half on a 30-to-3 run capped off by a Smith lay in from Hollie Beaman, one of her seven assists, right as time expired to put UVU up 39-16 at the break.
UVU extended the lead as much as 46 in the second half when Marvin-Wall hit one of her three, three-pointers with 32 seconds left.
Utah Valley will now hit the road for six straight away from The McKay Center beginning next Wednesday at Gonzaga, a team that finished 25-9 and advanced into the WNIT in 2007-08.
