Feb. 19, 2011

Box Score

OREM, Utah - Utah Valley hung tight the entire way with the visiting North Dakota Fighting Sioux Saturday at the UCCU Center but UVU (5-20, 3-7 GWC) went cold from the floor down the stretch and dropped a 74-71 game to UND (11-13, 6-2 GWC).

"I'm proud of our girls and how they played," UVU head coach Cathy Nixon said. "I wanted them to get the win so badly but we came up just short. We did a nice job fighting back and sustaining their big runs throughout the game."

"We had some interesting lineups in there tonight. Which included kids playing positions that they don't normally play and they really responded and did a good job."

UVU got off to a quick start against the Fighting Sioux as Jenna Johnson hit a floater in the lane and Abbie Beutler followed with a 3-pointer to give the Wolverines an early 5-0 lead. A couple minutes later UVU went up by six points after a jumper from Whitney Jenkins put the home team in front 11-5 with 14:44 to play in the first.

Following a deep trey from Johnson the Wolverines extended their lead up to seven at 14-7.

The Sioux then enjoyed a 13-2 run to pull ahead in the game for the first time. UND then went up by 10, its largest lead of the game, at 34-24. The Wolverines immediately countered by closing the half on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 34-all at the break. Beutler and Johnson each scored five of the final 10 points apiece and Johnson drilled a corner 3-ball were mere seconds left on the clock.

Johnson led UVU at the break with 14 points, while Beutler also tallied double figures with 10.

In the second half both sides went back-and-forth on the scoreboard, as it stayed tight the entire way.

UVU went up by three at 42-39 following a Sammie Jensen jumper with 17 minutes to play. The Sioux came right back and took a one-point advantage after back-to-back baskets.

With the game later tied at 49-49, Beutler received a pass from Tasha Sanborn and drilled a 3-pointer to put UVU up by three with 13:04 to go Four minutes later UND went up by four after Nicole Smart hit a 3-ball of her own to give the Sioux a 61-57 advantage.

With 3:30 to play and the Wolverines down just three, Johnson attempted a trey that looked good but rolled in-and-out to keep the Sioux ahead 67-64.

UND then managed to hold the Wolverines scoreless for the next two and a half minutes to go up by seven.

With just 54 seconds to play UVU's Kaycee Mansfield drained two free throws to cut the deficit to five. After a number of made freebies down the stretch the Sioux found themselves up eight with just seconds to play.

UVU staged a late comeback as Cydne Mason drained a 3-ball with nine seconds to go and the Wolverines stole the ensuing inbounds pass. Jenkins then hit a shot in the lane to get within three but time wasn't on the Wolverines side as it expired.

The game saw 13 lead changes and five ties.

Johnson paced UVU with 21 points and Beutler added 17. Jensen finished just one point and one board shy of her 13th double-double of the season.

UND finished with a balanced attack as five players ended up in double digits.

The Wolverines will next play their final home game of the regular season next Saturday, Feb. 26, against Houston Baptist at 4:30 p.m.