OREM, Utah – Taylor Gordon scored 15 points and Sam Lubke added 14 points and 10 rebounds as Utah Valley University topped UMKC, 58-39, on Thursday in Lockhart Arena. The 39 points allowed is a season-best for the Utah Valley defense.

Gordon shot 5-of-11 from the field in her third straight 15-point outing, while Lubcke's WAC-best seventh double-double this season helped UVU end a five-game skid since its buzzer-beating loss to the Kangaroos in Kansas City. The Wolverines used a pair of double-digit scoring runs – 13-0 and 14-0 —en route their largest margin of victory since a 40-point win over Antelope Valley on Dec. 29.
 
"We've been focusing on the defensive end and to hold them to 39 points met our goal," said UVU head coach Cathy Nixon. "We gave up some offensive rebounds but ended up outrebounding them by nine. Those are real keys for us. If we can defend and rebound we can be successful."

In addition to her offensive performance, Gordon led the Wolverines with four steals to finish one shy of tying the single-season school record (68) held by Asumi Nakayama. UVU had 12 steals as a team.
 
UVU led 10-7 after one quarter with Jordan Holland hitting a pair of 3-pointers for six of the team's 10 points in the quarter.
 
The Wolverines took control in the second quarter, using a 15-2 run to close out the first half. The 'Roos got a bucket from Kiana Law with 7:10 left before the Wolverines scored the next 13 points while holding UMKC without a point for nearly seven minutes, taking a 27-15 lead into  halftime.
 
The 'Roos jumped back into it in the third, scoring 10 of the first 11 points in the quarter to get within three, 28-25, just three minutes into the quarter. UVU led 30-27 when Lubke scored on a layup and Gordon followed with a corner three to extend the lead back to eight, 35-27. That began a 14-0 run for UVU over the final 5:32 of the quarter to make it 17-point advantage, 44-27. Gordon and Lubke both scored six during the decisive run.
 
Utah Valley hit 47.8 percent (22-of-46) from the field while limiting UMKC to 17-for-55 (30.9 percent). The Wolverines also outrebounded the 'Roos 38-29 with point guard Mariah Seals matching her career high with eight. Seals also had six points, six assists and three steals.

 Samantha Waldron was UMKC's lone double-digit scorer on the night with 13 points on a 5-of-10 shooting clip. Waldron also made three of the 'Roos four made three-pointers in the contest.
 
The Wolverines will close its three-game homestand versus Chicago State on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT. inside Lockhart Arena. UVU defeated CSU 62-59 in an overtime contest earlier this season in Chicago.