SEATTLE – Jake Toolson dropped 25 points and Richard Harward added a double-double as Utah Valley knocked off Seattle U, 77-68, on Tuesday night at the Redhawk Center.

The Wolverines improved to 20-8 on the season and 9-4 in WAC play, bringing them into a tie for second place with Grand Canyon. The Redhawks fall to 15-13 on the year and 3-10 in conference play.
 
Utah Valley secured its second-straight 20-win season, marking the first-ever back-to-back 20-win seasons in school history. The 43 combined wins over the last two seasons is also the most in a two-year span in UVU history. The win over the Redhawks is the first road win in Seattle for UVU head coach Mark Pope.

"We'd never won up here and this was not a pretty game, but I'm proud of our guys and how they hung in there and kept battling to come up with the win," said Pope. "This is our third game on short notice and that's a great job by our guys. This league is so deep so we need to keep playing better and maintain our discipline and we'll be able to do some special things."
 
After falling behind 8-2 to start the game, the Wolverines used a 7-0 run, punctuated by a Harward dunk, to take a 9-8 lead with 12:49 in the half. Both teams battle back and forth until Utah Valley used another 9-1 run to push their lead to 27-20, with every basket coming in the paint. The Wolverines maintained their lead as they went into the half up 32-27 on a Harward layup in the closing minute.  
 
Isaiah White started off the second half with a dunk as the Wolverines pushed the lead out to nine points. After exchanging baskets, Jake Toolson scored five straight and Baylee Steele hit his first three of the year as part of an 8-3 run. The Redhawks used a 6-0 run to trip the lead down to four, but UVU responded with an 8-0 run to put in back out to a twelve-point advantage with 9:33 to go in the game. Seattle U chipped away at the lead, using a 10-2 run to cut it down to 66-60 with 3:20 to go in the contest. The Wolverines iced the game away, using a 7-0 run to push the lead back to 13 points before coasting to the 77-68 victory.
 
Utah Valley shot 49 percent from the field while holding the Redhawks to 38.5 percent for the game. The Wolverines won the battle in the paint, 34-26, while doubling up the Redhawks in free throw attempts. UVU was also able to protect the ball, turning the ball over only nine times and converting ten Seattle U turnovers into 11 points.
 
Jake Toolson led all scorers with 25 points, adding five rebounds and a pair of threes. Harward finished with 14 points and a team-leading 10 rebounds. Conner Toolson added 11 points and Ben Nakwaasah dished a team-high five assists.
 
Utah Valley continues WAC play on the road against Cal Baptist on March 2 in the CBU Events Center. Tip is set for 8:00pm MST and will be broadcasted on the WAC Digital Network and ESPN 960AM.