Feb. 26, 2011
Box Score
OREM, Utah - Four Utah Valley players finished in double figures as UVU (6-20, 4-7 GWC) ran away with an 82-58 win over Houston Baptist Saturday at the UCCU Center. The game was the Wolverines final regular season home game of the of the 2010-11 season.
With just one more regular season game left for the Wolverines, they have guaranteed at least a sixth-seed or better for the Pepsi Great West Conference Tournament that will be held in Orem March 9-12.
In the 24-point win, Kim Bell and Jenna Johnson both finished with a game-high 21 points to lead UVU. Sammie Jensen also had another good game as she notched her 13th double-double of the year with 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Abbie Beutler put-up 10 points and a game-high eight assists.
"We played a great game," Wolverine coach Cathy Nixon said. "We are learning to control the game better on both ends of the floor and it was great to come out with the win."
"We had several outstanding night's tonight," Nixon added. "Jenna shot the ball very well and Sammie had another solid night with 15 points, 13 rebounds and five assists from the four position."
UVU got off to a good start as it doubled up the visiting Huskies (3-22, 1-9 GWC) 8-4 in the early stages. HBU then battled right back and tied the game two minutes later.
Midway through the opening half, UVU took a five-point lead at 21-16 following Whitney Jenkins jumper. Houston Baptist then enjoyed a 6-0 spurt to comeback and take the lead at 22-21.
With the Wolverines later leading 26-24, UVU rolled off a 10-2 run of its own to take a 10-point advantage at 36-26 with two minutes to go in the opening period. The Huskies then finished the half with five straight points of their own to only trail by five (36-31) at the break.
Bell paced the Wolverines in the first period with 11 points.
UVU immediately began to extend its lead in the second half. The Wolverines went up by 11 following a Johnson trey just three minutes in. Two minutes later, UVU pushed the advantage up to 15 at 54-39 after two made freebies by Jensen.
HBU did what it could to hang around in the game the next couple of minutes but with 7:54 to go Johnson drilled another 3-pointer to give UVU a 17-point lead.
The Wolverines found themselves up by 24 (72-48), their largest lead of the game, two minutes later following a 14-2 run.
UVU then maintained a comfortable cushion the final five and a half minutes as it pulled out the 24-point win.
For the game UVU hit nine 3-balls as it finished 9-21 from behind the arc for 43-percent. Five of the 3-pointers came from Johnson as she shot 5-7 from behind-the-arc. The Wolverines also outrebounded the Huskies 45-36 and committed five less turnovers.
Destini Texada led HBU in the game with 12 points and eight boards. Joselyn Pugh too had a nice game for the Huskies as she finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
The Wolverines will now head to Newark, N.J. Thursday, March 3, for their final regular season game at NJIT.
"It's fun right now and we are kind of coming into our own with the tournament right around the corner. We've got one more game on the road and then it's back home for the championships," Nixon concluded.
