Dec. 12, 2009
Box Score
CEDAR CITY, Utah -- Utah Valley fell in a triple overtime heartbreaker, 94-92, when Cassie Burgess' jumper with .5 seconds left sent Southern Utah to the dramatic win. It's the first three-overtime game in the history of both schools.
Julie Smith tied a career 31 points for the Wolverines (3-9) while Jenna Johnson set a new career high with 29, scoring 12 points after regulation.
Caitlyn Sears led the Thunderbirds (3-7) with 25, Burgess had 20 and Challis Pascucci had a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds.
With Utah Valley up four in the third overtime, Burgess scored five straight points to put Southern Utah up 89-88. Johnson scored her sixth point of the overtime, on an assist from Kyra Prause, to put the Wolverines back up 90-89.
Burgess then found Jadie Parsons open for three from the right side to give the T-Birds a two-point edge. Smith knotted the game at 92 on a layup before Burgess missed her initial attempt, got her own rebound and hit the baseline jumper from about 10 feet away.
In regulation, SUU's Jadie Parsons scored on a baseline jumper with .5 seconds left, seemingly giving the home team the win. But the T-Birds charged the court with time still on the clock and were assessed a technical foul. Johnson calmly knocked down both free throws on the technical to send it to overtime No. 1.
In the first OT, Asumi Nakayama banked in a runner with 13 seconds left to tie it at 78 before Parsons missed a potential game-winning three, sending to the second extra frame.
The game was tied again at 88 when Johnson scored to put UVU up two with 36 seconds left. Parsons then knocked down two free throws to tie before Nakayama's game-winning attempt didn't fall and OT No. 2 ended tied at 84.
Smith scored 19 of her points in the first half as the Wolverines took a four point lead at the break, 34-30, on the heels of a 15-2 run to end the half.
Southern Utah began the game hitting eight of its first 10 shots, jumping out to a 17-10 lead eight minutes in.
The lead was nine, 28-19, for the T-Birds when the Wolverines started the half-ending run. Jenna Johnson scored five straight points during the run; first hitting a three to tie it at 28 and then scoring on an underhand scoop a possession later. Smith then ended the half with a layup right as time expired.
The all-time series between Utah Valley and Southern Utah is now tied at 4-4, with the teams also splitting the season series.
Nakayama finished with 13 points and eight assists and tied a school-record with seven steals. Blake Reynolds had a team-high nine rebounds for the Wolverines.
The Wolverines will wrap up the pre-Christmas schedule next Friday at home against Portland State at 3 p.m. MT.
