OREM, Utah – Mitch Bruneel scored 27 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as Utah Valley University opened Western Athletic Conference play with a 70-52 win over Seattle University on Saturday at the UCCU Center.

On a night that the 2013-14 WAC Championship team was honored prior to the game, this year's Wolverines (6-9, 1-0) used a big first half on both ends of the court in building a 38-14 lead at the break. Bruneel scored 20 in the first frame on 7-of-8 shooting including 4-for-4 from three and ended the half with a buzzer-beating triple from the corner.
 
UVU outrebounded the Redhawks (7-8, 0-1) 39-29, with 17 coming on the offensive resulting in a 19-4 edge in second chance points. The Wolverines also turned 16 Seattle U turnovers into 17 points while also holding the league's top 3-point shooting team to 1-of-14 (7.1 percent) from beyond the arc.

"Seattle is a very talented, long and athletic team that can shoot the ball from the perimeter as well as anyone in the conference," UVU head coach Dick Hunsaker said. "I thought we worked very hard on the defensive end and on the backboards. Mitch Bruneel had an exceptional effort in all facets of the game tonight."

In the opening half, Utah Valley led 13-12 before embarking on a decisive 25-2 run over the final 9:07 of the half. The Wolverines scored 16 straight points to start the run with Bruneel scoring 11 of the 16, book-ending it with a pair of 3-pointers. After Jack Crook scored on a layup with 2:26 before halftime, UVU scored the final nine points with Bruneel's three putting an exclamation point on the half.

The Redhawks opened the second half on a 15-4 run to get within 13, 42-29, but Zach Nelson scored and hit a free-throw from a 3-point play and Jaden Jackson knocked down a corner three to extend the lead to 48-29.

Seattle trimmed the UVU lead to 11 points on two occasions the rest of the way — the latest coming with 4:54 left — but Donte Williams knocked down a big three, Brenden Evans hit two foul shots and Zach Nelson another free throw to extend the lead to 60-43.
 
Seattle attempted to extend the game in the final minutes but the Wolverines hit 13 out of 16 attempts from the line over the final 3:33.

Williams added 15 points, making 8-of-9 from the foul line while Marcel Davis added seven points, six assists and five rebounds. Evans scored eight points and Nelson finished with four steals and two blocks. William Powell led Seattle U with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Utah Valley makes the return trip to Seattle on Feb. 7.

The pregame ceremony honoring last year's championship team included handing out championship rings and unveiling a new banner hanging in the UCCU Center. All four seniors from last season's team — Ben Aird, Taylor Brown, Keawe Enos and Holton Hunsaker — were in attendance.

The Wolverines will continue WAC play next Thursday, Jan. 15 when Grand Canyon comes to the UCCU Center for a 7:05 p.m. tip.