MALIBU, Calif. – In spite of a combined 27 points from Utah Valley senior guards Taylor Christensen and Mariah Seals, the Wolverines saw their two-game win streak snapped by Pepperdine, 71-44, Saturday afternoon inside the Firestone Fieldhouse.
 
Christensen led the team in scoring for the third time in four games with 15 points, while Seals finished with 12 points and three assists in UVU's (2-6) loss to the Waves (4-3).
 
"It was kind of a tale of two halves," said Utah Valley head coach Cathy Nixon. "In the first half we were able to get to the rim and baskets fell for us. I thought we got those same shots in the second half that weren't falling. Then they started hitting theirs and the game ran away from us, but I think we've learned some good things during our three games and great opportunities for us to be tested this week."

In response to an early seven-point deficit in the first quarter, Seals scored four of UVU's next six points to bring the squad to within 18-13 of Pepperdine at the start of the second quarter. She then assisted on a left-corner three-pointer by freshman forward Ally Bates to cap a 5-0 Wolverine run to bring the score to 18-16 with 6:28 left in the half.
 
The pair of buckets helped push the Wolverines' early second-quarter run to 9-2 before Christensen drew a foul on a layup down the left side of the lane and drained the ensuing free throws to even the score at 18-18.
 
Seals and Christensen then added a pair of layups after driving through the lane to give UVU a 22-21 lead. Christensen then extended the Wolverine advantage to 15-5 to begin the quarter, giving the senior duo a  combined 10 points in the period to help UVU take 28-25 lead at the half.
 
The Waves responded with a 10-2 scoring burst at start the third quarter to capture the lead for the remainder of the game at 35-32. Junior forward Yasmine Robinson-Bacote, who scored a game-high 21 points, capped the Pepperdine run with a steal and fastbreak layup on the other end.
 
The senior backcourt duo's effort on the offensive end marked its third straight contest with at least 27 points between Seals and Christensen. Seals also stretched her streak of consecutive games with three or more assists to three.
 
In addition, the Wolverines held an advantage in turnovers with only 15 compared to Pepperdine's 18. Despite the difference in turnovers, the two squads tied with 10 team steals a piece on the day.
 
Utah Valley now begins a six-game homestand throughout the rest of December with a game versus Air Force Thursday, Dec. 7. Tip-off in Lockhart Arena is slated for 7 p.m.