OREM, Utah – Utah Valley University moved to 5-2 in WAC play behind a balanced offensive effort in a 76-61 win over Chicago State University on Saturday in the UCCU Center.
 
Eight different Wolverines (11-9) scored at least six points in the game, with Jordan Holland scoring 12 of her team-high 14 in the second half. Va'e Malufau had a career-high with 12 points and seven rebounds while Eve Braslis, Maria Carvalho and Alexis Cortez each scored nine.
 
"I loved the team effort today. When we have balance like that and share the ball, we can be a pretty tough team to stop offensively," said UVU head coach Cathy Nixon. "We challenged the team to come out with more energy and resolve. I think we saw some flashes of some good things tonight. We have a really good group of hard-working girls and I'm really optimistic."
 
Josie Williams added eight points and Emma Jones chipped in six. Tyeshia Bowers led the Cougars (1-18, 1-5) with 18 while Kourtney Crane finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.
 
After a slow start, the Wolverines got a couple of late steals and turned them into points on the other end. Grange stole a pass and went the length of the court for two, and Braslis intercepted a ball that resulted in an Alexis Cortez jumper. UVU went on a 10-1 run over the final five minutes and led 14-9 after one. 
 
The teams traded runs in the second quarter, with UVU leading by nine on three different occasions with the latest on a left-handed hook from Williams with just over one-minute left in the half. Tamara Olverson scored on the next possession to make it a 33-26 game after 20 minutes.
 
Utah Valley led by 10 early in the second half before Holland, who spent most of the first half in foul trouble, scored five straight on a 3-pointer and layup. The lead was 14 when Jones knocked down a three and Carvalho got a steal and a fastbreak jumper for a 53-34 advantage. Holland had eight in the quarter as UVU outscored the Cougars 25-13 to lead 58-39 after three. Chicago State would get no closer than 13 in the final frame.

Both teams were able to get the line and both shot it well. Utah Valley finished 22-for-26 (84.6 percent) and Chicago State was 18-for-19 (94.7 percent) from the charity stripe. The Wolverines had 19 assists on the day, with five coming from Carvalho. UVU had a slight edge on the glass, 42-38, with Grange pulling down six in addition to Malufau's seven. 

Utah Valley will wrap up the first half of the WAC schedule next Thursday at California Baptist in the first meeting between the programs in Riverside. It's the only game of the week for the Wolverines.