Jan. 3, 2009
Box Score
OREM, Utah - The Canadian duo of Robyn Fairbanks and Julie McMurray combined for 64 points as Utah Valley held off Utah State, 84-79, on Saturday afternoon in the McKay Center.
Fairbanks finished with 33 points, including 21 in the second half, while McMurray scored 18 of her career high 31 in the first half. McMurray hit 13-for-18 from the field including 5-for-8 from the three point line, tying the school record for three pointers made in a game. Fairbanks hit 13-for-20 for the game and was 8-of-10 in the second half as the Wolverines (6-7) hit 55.2 percent from the field.
Asumi Nakayama dished out eight assists and Sandy Wall finished with eight points, five rebounds and four assists as Utah Valley finished with 24 assists and a season low 12 turnovers.
Ana Pares scored a career high 25 for Utah State (6-7) and was 5-for-8 from the three point line while Danyelle Snelgro finished with 17.
The Wolverines used a 13-4 run midway through the first half to build a 30-19 lead, their biggest of the game. Utah State crept right back into the game, getting within one at 38-37 on a Snelgro three before a Fairbanks bucket gave UVU a 40-37 edge at the break.
In the second half the Aggies tied the game five times but could never grab the lead. Alice Coddington hit two free throws to tie the game at 56 with 12:12 remaining when Fairbanks took over the game, scoring the next seven points to give the Wolverines the lead for good.
Utah State got within two with 4:01 left on a Coddington three before McMurray answered with a three that hit the front of the rim and dropped in, making it 76-71 with 3:17 remaining. A Fairbanks bucket and two Nakayama free throws increased the lead to nine as the Wolverines took a 3-2 series lead and have won three straight against their in state foes.
Fairbanks upped her season average to 24.5 after entering the game ranked fourth nationally while McMurray increased her average to an even 20 per contest after scoring 30 or more for the third time this season.
Utah Valley had a 38-34 edge on the boards, including 23-13 in the second half, improving to 5-1 when outrebounding the opponent.
The Wolverines will travel to Edinburg, Texas next Saturday to face future Great West Conference foe Texas-Pan American at 6 p.m. MT.
