Nov. 19, 2010
Box Score
BEAUMONT, Texas - Despite ferocious comeback efforts in the second half, Utah Valley fell at Lamar Friday evening by a score of 83-66 in consolation play of the Preseason WNIT.
With the loss, UVU (0-2) will round out Preseason WNIT play Saturday at 12 p.m. (MT) in Beaumont, against Austin Peay.
"I thought we showed improvement," UVU head coach Cathy Nixon said, "Especially on the defensive end. We had segments where we really defended them well. Lamar is a really good team. They won their conference, and went to the NCAA Tournament last year so they were a good test for our kids.
"I also felt on the offensive end we had more stretches of time where we executed our game. But turnovers and offensive rebounds were probably the story of the game. We are a team that is in the growing process and hopefully we'll be able to turn it around Saturday."
UVU got off to a slow start offensively as it didn't score its first points until nearly five minutes into the game on a 3-ball from freshman Kim Bell. Sophomore Kaycee Mansfield then got going as she had 12 points in the opening half on 5-6 shooting.
Lamar (1-1) took an 11-point advantage, 44-33, at the half even though UVU outshot them at 50 percent compared to 44. Turnovers really seemed to hurt the Wolverines early on as the Lady Cardinals turned UVU's 13 first half miscues into 19 points.
In the second half, UVU came out and looked much more aggressive. Junior Abbie Beutler proved that just as the half began by sinking a deep three-pointer to cut the deficit to eight. Two minutes later the Wolverines got within six at 46-40 on a made jumper from junior Jenna Johnson.
UVU then managed to get within five at 57-52 after two made free throws from junior Sammie Jensen with 10 and a half minutes to play. But that's as close as the Wolverines would get as LU seemed to have an answer for nearly UVU run.
Johnson, the Great West Conference preseason second team selection, finished with a game-high 19 points, while Mansfield and Jensen each added 16. Jensen also just missed a double-double as she finished with nine rebounds. Beutler too had nice numbers as she added seven assists and seven points.
Ang Green led Lamar with 18 points, while three other players finished in double figures including Jenna Plumley who had 15 points as well as 10 assists.
Following the conclusion of the Preseason WNIT, UVU will come home for its first home action of the season. The Wolverines will play their next four games at the UCCU Center, starting Tuesday, Nov. 23, when Weber State comes to town.
