POCATELLO, Idaho – Junior guard Taylor Gordon scored eight fourth-quarter points en route to a game-high 21 to guide Utah Valley women's basketball's late comeback attempt against Idaho State, but the Bengals held on for a 61-56 win over the Wolverines Tuesday night at Reed Gym.
 
Gordon, who finished two shy of her career high, poured in 15 points in the second half to lead a trio of Wolverines (3-10) that scored in double figures. Mariah Seals added 19 points and Sam Lubcke scored 12 to round out the double-digit scoring.
 
"When we got down 16 the girls had a decision to make," said Utah Valley head coach Cathy Nixon. "We were either going to fight our way back into the game or get blown out. I felt like we decided were going to compete. The things we're talking about with the girls is consistency, and with the young team that we have we're having trouble finding the bull's eye that we're looking for."
 
In the game's final five minutes, Utah Valley made seven straight free throws to cap a 7-0 run and cut a 16-point deficit to single digits. Gordon's aggression in the lane led to six of her career-high tying nine free throws during the push, while Lubcke hit one to bring the score to 54-45.
 
Following an ISU (6-5) bucket, the Wolverines extended their scoring spree to 14-2 with three unanswered field goals to pull to within 56-52 with 58 seconds left on the game clock. During that scoring outburst, Seals converted a shot from three-point range and Lubcke and Gordon finished layups within a minute span for UVU's lowest deficit since the third quarter.
 
Seals scored on another layup with 14 seconds to bring Utah Valley within four of the Bengals as part of an 18-6 run in the fourth quarter. Idaho State's Freya Newton then hit 1-of-2 free throws at the other end and her Bengal teammate Lindsay brown pulled down the offensive rebound to cut short a Wolverine comeback.
 
After getting stops on nine of their final 12 defensive possessions, the Wolverines held Idaho State to the third lowest shooting percentage by an opponent this season at 41.7 percent. UVU also forced three of the Bengals' 11 turnovers down the stretch and only committed 10 to finish with its second lowest turnover total this year.
 
"That's how we're going to win games, committing on the defensive end. There are times where we do that, and when we do we get momentum and things tend to go our way. When we don't it's difficult to stay focused."
 
Utah Valley finished with eight steals on the night, as Seals had three, Lubcke and Gordon each had two, and Jordan Holland finished with one.
 
Despite Idaho State's 36-35 advantage over UVU in rebounds, Lubcke grabbed a game-high nine to finish one board short of her second double-double of the year. Seals and Gordon followed Lubcke as UVU's rebounding leaders on the glass, as each pulled down six boards on the night.
 
The Wolverines now return home for their final two non-conference games of the season as they host Antelope Valley on Dec. 29 and Dixie State on Dec. 31. Tip-off for both games is set for 3 p.m.