SPOKANE, Wash. - Robyn Fairbanks scored 29 points for Utah Valley but an early second half run at Gonzaga cost the Wolverines (1-2) in a 95-79 loss on Wednesday night.
Fairbanks hit 10-of-13 from the field and pulled down nine rebounds, but the Bulldogs' (3-0) defensive pressure forced 33 Utah Valley turnovers, leading to 34 GU points.
Tied at 44 at the half, Gonzaga (3-0) began the second half on a 13-0 run during a four-minute stretch in which Utah Valley attempted just two field goals due to eight turnovers. The Bulldogs maintained a double digit lead the rest of the way, leading by as much as 19.
Sandy Marvin-Wall was the only other UVU player in double digits, finishing with 10 points and five assists. Julie McMurray finished with nine points but was limited due to foul trouble and fouled out with five minutes to play.
The Wolverines hit 54.9 percent (28-for-51) from the field including a blistering 10-for-15 from the three-point line while the Bulldogs hit 46.8 (37-for-79) percent while attempting 28 more shot attempts than UVU.
Tiffanie Shives led Gonzaga with 25 points on 9-of-14 from the field, including 4-for-6 from the three-point line. Heather Bowman finished with 19 and Courtney Vandersloot had a double double with 15 points and 10 assists to go along with four steals.
Gonzaga won the battle of the boards, finishing with a 37-to-33 edge. The Bulldogs finished with 19 rebounds on the offensive glass, leading to 15 second chance points.
The Wolverines jumped out to an 11-2 lead less than three minutes into the game after hitting their first five shots. Gonzaga came back with a 14-0 run to build a five-point advantage.
With the score tied at 28 with 8:27 left in the half, another 11-2 run put the Wolverines up 39-30 before the Bulldogs closed the half on a 14-5 run.
UVU hit 15-of-26 (57.7 percent) in the first half but 17 turnovers at the break allowed the Bulldogs to stay in the game. Fairbanks had 18 on 6-of-7 shooting and hit both three-pointers she attempted. Shives had 19 in the first half on 7-for-10 from the floor for GU.
The Wolverines' tough road stretch continues with a game in The Pit at New Mexico next Tuesday at 7 p.m.
