FARGO, North Dakota - Robyn Fairbanks became the first Utah Valley player to reach 1,000 rebounds in the Wolverines' (13-10) 90-75 loss at North Dakota State on Monday night. She entered the game needing eight rebounds to reach the mark and got number 1,000 with 1:25 left in the first half.
"What can I say about her that hasn't already been said," head coach Cathy Nixon said. "She's had a remarkable career and deserves any accolade she gets."
Fairbanks led UVU with 24 points and 10 rebounds, her seventh straight double-double. She also surpassed the 2,400-point mark and scored double figures for the 100th time in her career including the 76th in a row. Sandy Wall had 20 points while Asumi Nakayama hit four 3-pointers on her way to a career-high 16. Both Wall and Nakayama had six assists while Julie McMurray had a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Wolverines were playing catch-up all night against the Bison (13-12), who shot 52.4 percent (33-for-63) including 57.7 percent in the second half.
Despite NDSU's hot shooting, Utah Valley trailed by only three, 76-73, with 4:07 left before the Bison closed out the game on a 14-2 run. Inger Hodgson hit a three to start the run before Jill Zaruba hit four straight free throws to run the lead to 10. A Nakayama jumper cut the lead to eight, 83-75, with 1:51 remaining before the Bison scored the game's final seven points.
Wall scored 11 of her 20 in the second half with nine coming during a stretch when Fairbanks was forced to the bench with four fouls. She entered halftime with just one foul but was whistled for three in the first 2:20 of the second, with the third of the half on an offensive foul away from the ball.
With Fairbanks on the bench and UVU down nine, Wall carried the Wolverines on a 9-0 run capped with a Blake Reynolds layup. Wall scored back-to-back buckets to give Utah Valley just its second lead of the game, 61-59, with 10:49 left. Hodgson answered with a three through to put NDSU back up.
Utah Valley regained the lead on a McMurray layup but it's the last lead the Wolverines would have. Birkel responded with another Bison three, one of 10 triples on the night for NDSU.
UVU tied it on two different occasions after that but Ashley Samuelson's jumper with 6:54 to go gave North Dakota State the lead for good.
Utah Valley hit 43.9 percent from the floor and a perfect 17-for-17 from the free throw line. The Bison were 14-for-21 from the line. Senior Jerri Penley led five NDSU players in double figures with 19 and eight rebounds.
In the first half, North Dakota State led by five, 29-24, when Nakayama hit her third 3-pointer and after the shot was fouled, putting her at the line for a one-and-one. She hit both to tie the game and on the next possession Fairbanks hit a three to give the Wolverines their first and only lead of the half.
That 8-0 spurt by UVU was answered with 10 straight NDSU points on five points apiece from Whitney Trecker and Katie Birkel. The Bison pushed the lead back to eight on two more occasions in the half before the Wolverines scored the final four points of the half to get within four, 47-43.
Fairbanks had 16 points and nine boards in the half while Nakayama had 11 and Wall added nine points and six assists.
The Wolverines will now return home Saturday afternoon to host future Great West opponent NJIT at 3 p.m. MT. It will be the final home game prior to the Division I Independent Championship, which begins March 5. Fairbanks, Wall, Hollie Beaman, Lauren Smith and Jordyn Bowen will be honored prior to game on Senior Day.
