CEDAR CITY, UT. – Utah Valley dropped their fourth-straight game in a thriller to Southern Utah, 73-72, in Cedar City. The Wolverines took the lead with 14 seconds to go before the Thunderbirds converted the game-winning layup with eight seconds left. UVU drops to 4-7 on the season as SUU improves to 5-4 on the year.
 
After Southern Utah scored the game's first four points, the Wolverines used an 11-0 run to take an early 11-4 lead with 16:39 left in the opening half. TJ Washington then scored the team's next seven points as Utah Valley extended their lead to 20-10 with 12:42 to go in the half. Both teams traded baskets before the Thunderbirds scored the final four points of the half, cutting the lead down to 34-34 going into the break.
 
The Wolverines used an 11-5 start to the half to extend the lead to 51-39 with 14:15 to go in the game. The Thunderbirds responded with a 7-0 spurt to cut the lead to five. Trey Woodbury scored the next 12 points for the Wolverines to maintain the lead, 63-56 with 9:53 to go in the contest. SUU answered with a 10-4 surge to come within one point, 67-66, before a layup by Washington and a free throw by Brandon Morley gave UVU a 70-66 lead with 2:49 in the game. The Thunderbirds scored the next five points to take their first lead of the second half, but Brandon Averette hit two clutch free throws to give the Wolverines a 72-71 advantage with 14 seconds to go. Southern Utah got a layup to go with eight seconds left and Averette was unable to converted a driving layup with some contact as SUU pulled out the 73-72 win.  
 
The Wolverines shot 47.3 percent from the field, including an 8-20 mark from downtown. UVU held the Thunderbirds to just 34 percent from the floor and 5-16 from beyond the arc, but Southern Utah's 15 offensive rebounds led to a 16-3 advantage in second chance points. SUU also held a 26-12 advantage in made free throws.
 
Woodbury led the team with 19 points, extending his streak of made free throws to 17 in the process. Washington added 14 points on a pair of threes and Averette chipped in 11 points and a team high five assists. Morley pulled down a team high eight rebounds and Jamison Overton swiped three steals and a pair of blocks.

Utah Valley returns home to the UCCU Center to take on Northern Arizona on Dec. 14. Tip is set for 7:30 P.M. MT and will be broadcasted on the WAC Digital Network and ESPN960 AM. The Wolverines then leave for their final road trip of the non-conference season as they travel to Wyoming on Dec. 18 and to Long Beach State on Dec. 21.