Feb. 20, 2010

Box Score

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Utah Valley was within 10 points of Great West Conference leader North Dakota late in the second half Saturday afternoon, but couldn't get any closer in dropping the 68-57 decision to the Fighting Sioux.

The Wolverines trailed by 14 points at the half, and two teams traded baskets for the first seven minutes of the second half before the Wolverines pulled to within 13 points on a three-pointer by Kayla Burningham with 13:13 left and eventually 10 at 52-42 on another Burningham three-ball with 10:35 left.

The Fighting Sioux built the lead back up to as many as 16 points in the second half before the Wolverines cut the lead to 10 again on a pair of free throws by Erika Newbold with 3:19 left.

Burningham paced the Wolverines with a career-high 18 points while tying a school record with six three-pointers. Kaycee Mansfield added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Newbold finished with nine points and eight rebounds, and Jenna Johnson finished with eight points. Asumi Nakayama led UVU with eight assists.

UND's Kayla Bagaason led all scorers with 22 points.

With the loss the Wolverines drop to 5-22 overall and 1-9 in Great West Conference action, while UND improves to 10-13 overall and 6-1 in league play.

The Wolverines trailed by 10 points - 16-6 - with 14:30 left in the first half, but they mounted a 7-0 run with lay-up by Johnson, a bucket by Mansfield and a three-ball by Nakayama to trail by three with 13:02 left.

Leading by four, UND broke the game open to that point with a 15-5 run over the next nine minutes and eventually led by 14 at the break, 36-22.

The Wolverines will play their final road contest of the season on Feb. 25 when they travel to Houston Baptist.