Dec. 5, 2008
Box Score
La'ie, Hawai'i - Julie McMurray hit a three-pointer with 3.3 seconds left as Utah Valley upset USC, 66-64, on Friday at the Hukilau Invitational at BYU-Hawai'i.
McMurray, who finished with eight points and seven rebounds, took a pass from Sandy Marvin-Wall a hit the game-winner right from the top of the three-point line, giving the Wolverines (3-4) their first win ever over a Pac-10 school.
"I'm so proud of the girls right now," said head coach Cathy Nixon. "We didn't let it get away from us despite losing that lead and this was as big a win that we've had as a Division I. Robyn (Fairbanks) carried us tonight but this win goes down as a real team effort. So many different players came up big for us."
With the USC defense swarming her all night, Fairbanks came up with 26 points in 26 minutes and scored seven late points to help erase a six-point deficit with 2:37 left. Fairbanks' three out of a timeout got UVU within three, 62-56, before a Camille Lenoir layup but the Trojans (4-2) back up by five.
Fairbanks trimmed the USC back to three with a layup and then hit two free-throws with 47 seconds left to get the Wolverines within a point. After Lenoir missed a runner with 28 seconds to go, Hollie Beaman pulled down the defensive rebound, setting up McMurray's game-winning bucket.
USC was led by 11 points from Nadia Parker and 10 off the bench from Brynn Cameron. Aarika Hughes had nine rebounds for the Trojans, who out-rebounded the Wolverines 45-35, with 21 boards coming on the offensive end, leading to 15 second chance points. UVU overcame that difference by hitting 46.4 percent (25-for-56) from the field while USC shot 34.8 percent.
Utah Valley carried a five-point lead into the break despite playing without Fairbanks for much of the half after she picked up two fouls. Offensively, Nakayama carried the Wolverines with Fairbanks on the bench, scoring all nine of her points in the opening half and hitting all four of her field goal attempts, helping her team to a 35-30 lead at the break.
The Wolverines maintained the lead up until Cameron knocked down a three with 11:53 to go, putting USC up 49-46. Fairbanks' tip-in with 9:07 capped a quick 6-2 spurt and put UVU back up by one, 53-52. Hughes then hit back-to-back buckets to put USC up 56-53 and the Wolverines trailed until McMurray's final shot.
UVU will be right back on the court on Saturday a 4 p.m. MT against the University of San Diego.
