LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Utah Valley University rallied late but came up short, 78-75, to Kansas City in the WAC Women's Basketball Tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday at the Orleans Arena.
 
Alexis Cortez scored a career high 22 points on 9-for-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three. She scored 16 of her points in the second half. Jordan Holland finished with 16 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter. Maria Carvalho scored 12 points and dished out seven assists and Eve Braslis added 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
 
"When you're in the trenches every day you build relationships and you really want success for them. And that's what makes it hard. This team overcame a lot this year. We're not going away. We don't have any seniors. And we'll use this day to fuel us for next year," said head coach Cathy Nixon.
 
The No. 5-seeded Wolverines (14-16) trailed 53-52 early in the fourth when the Kangaroos (16-14), the No. 4 seed, went on a 12-0 run that had UVU playing catch-up the rest of the way. Madison Grange hit a 3-pointer to get UVU within one, before the 'Roos went on the run, aided by three UVU turnovers that led to points and gave UMKC a 65-52 lead.
 
UVU chipped away, getting five straight points from Cortez to get within eight, 67-59. Down 10 moments later, Holland hit two from the line to start a 10-1 run that made it a 70-67 game. The 'Roos led 72-69 with under a minute to go and got a back-breaking three from Ericka Mattingly, who scored a game-high 27 points, to push the lead to six with just 32 seconds to go.
 
The Wolverines hit 50.8 percent (31-for-61) from the field while UMKC made 27-of-63 (42.9 percent). The 'Roos out-rebounded Utah Valley, 38-29.
 
Early on, UMKC built an early 11-4 lead on the strength of a pair of 3-pointers before Emma Jones and Braslis scored consecutive buckets to make it an 11-8 contest. The Kangaroos continued to hit from distance, hitting five 3-pointers in the first quarter with Emily Ivory making three of the four she attempted. The Wolverines trailed 21-10 but got a jumper from Keana Delos Santos with three seconds left in the first to trim it back to nine, 21-12, after the quarter.
 
The Wolverines trailed 25-14 when Cortez hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make the score 25-20 early in the second quarter. Utah Valley trailed 36-30 at the half.
 
Carvalho opened the third quarter by hitting her second three to get UVU within three, 36-33, the closest they'd been since early in the contest. Cortez hit her third trey with just over seven minutes left in the third to tie the game at 38-38. She hit another mid-range jumper to tie it at 40 before Josie Williams gave the Wolverines their first lead of the game, 42-40.
 
UMKC led 48-44 before Jones hit a jumper and Holland followed with a three to put Utah Valley back in front, 49-48. Mattingly hit a three, her third of the game, to put the 'Roos back in front after three, 51-49.

Kansas City advances to the semifinals on Friday where they'll face top seed New Mexico State. The Aggies defeated Chicago State in Wednesday's first quarterfinal contest.