OREM, Utah – Utah Valley University dropped its home opener to in-state foe Southern Utah University, 71-58, on Saturday afternoon in Lockhart Arena.
 
The Wolverines (0-2) fell victim to a prolonged scoring drought and a big run from the T-Birds (2-0) that spanned the end of the first quarter until midway through the second.
 
"It definitely didn't go the way we wanted, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed," said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. "Our team's learning and growing and I know it's cliché but I'm genuinely proud of what we did the second half. We've got to just keep working on the basics. It's a long season and we told the girls to stay together and continue to work."
 
Alexis Cortez led Utah Valley with 16 points while Jordan Holland and a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Rebecca Cardenas had 23 for SUU to lead all scorers.
 
The game was tied at 13-13 with just under four minutes left in the opening quarter when Southern Utah went on its big run. The T-Birds scored 24 straight points over the next eight-plus minutes of game time as the Wolverines went cold, missing 11 straight attempts from the field. Cortez ended the drought with 5:39 left in the first half but UVU trailed 46-21 at the break.
 
The Wolverines tried to chip away, with Holland and Nehaa Sohail hitting back-to-back 3-pointers and, following a SUU bucket, Cortez hit another three to make it 57-37. Utah Valley made a run late in the game, getting within 12 when Sohail hit her second 3-pointer of the contest and Keana Delos Santos followed with a bucket.
 
The Wolverines will be off until next Saturday, when they host Nevada at 2 p.m. MT in the UCCU Center.