Jan. 27, 2011
Box Score
OREM, Utah - The Utah Valley University women's basketball team fell in its home conference opener to Chicago State, 84-57, during Homecoming Week at UVU Thursday evening in the UCCU Center.
With the loss the Wolverines drop to 2-17 overall and 0-4 in Great West Conference play, while the Cougars remain unbeaten in conference action at 5-0 and overall they improved to 13-8.
"They're (Chicago State) a team of personal that has a good balance of quickness, some shooters and their inside game is pretty good, " said UVU head coach Cathy Nixon. "They have a calm confidence about them that we don't have right now and if you let them go to their strengths they're a pretty good team."
"Basketball is not rocket science. Statistically, if you don't shoot the ball very well, turn the ball over a lot and give them second chances, you're going to have a hard time being successful and that was the case tonight."
Through the first five minutes UVU hung right with CSU almost matching them basket for basket. After a jump shot from junior Jenna Johnson at the 14:29 mark, the Wolverines trailed just by two at 11-9.
The Cougars would proceed go on a 23-10 run and never trailed through the first half building a lead as large as 15. UVU managed to cut the deficit to 11 right before the half led by two free throws from Johnson and a jumper from junior Abbie Beutler.
In the second half, CSU came out looking to build upon its lead as it went on a 19-6 run and also ran a pressured defense that eventually led to 26 UVU turnovers.
UVU would go on a 10-4 run of their own with a pair of free throws from freshman Kim Bell and sophomore Sammie Jensen followed by 3-pointers by Johnson and sophomore Kyra Prause.
Jensen led UVU in the second half scoring with 12 of her total 16 points finishing just behind Johnson, as she scored a team-high 17 points.
CSU was lead by seniors Courtney Waldon and Tressa Beckel with 20 and 17 points respectively.
The loss was the Wolverines second on the year to Chicago State.
The Wolverines will look to rebound on the court at home this Saturday when they will compete against conference foe NJIT at 4:30 p.m. Next week they will head back out on the road for another pair of conference games when they will play at Texas-Pan American and Houston Baptist on Feb. 3 and Feb. 5.
