OREM, Utah – Five players reached double figures as Utah Valley University opened WAC play with an 89-58 win over Chicago State in the UCCU Center on Thursday, winning its third straight game in the process. 
 
Josie Williams led the way with 17 points while Jordan Holland finished with 15 and Megan Jensen added 14, establishing a new career high for the second straight game, to go along with four steals. Alexis Cortez added 13 and five steals and Maria Carvalho scored 11 points and dished out eight assists. All of Cortez' points and Carvalho's assists came in the opening half and helped Utah Valley build a 20-point half-time lead.
 
After Chicago State (0-14, 0-1) scored 22 points and made eight field goals in the opening quarter, the Wolverines (4-9, 1-0) held the Cougars to just nine makes the rest of the way including stretch of over 24 minutes of game time in which CSU went just 2-for-31 from the field.
 
"In the first quarter we gave them some shots we didn't want to and to their credit they hit them. Holding them under 15 points each quarter the rest of the way was great. There's no question that was the difference in the game," said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. "All year long we've talked about being ready going into confidence, getting a little streak going and trusting each other."
 
Chicago State was 4-for-5 from three in the first quarter and, combined with UVU shooting just 5-for-12 from the free-throw line, the game was tied at 22-22 with just under two minutes to go. Utah Valley closed the quarter on a 9-0 run over the final 1:41 to take a 31-22 lead after one. The Wolverines made were 11-for-16 from the field in the first en route to their highest-scoring quarter of the season.
 
UVU led by four, 36-32 before a 7-0 run that was punctuated by a Cortez three and gave the Wolverines a 43-32 lead. Utah Valley extended the run to 18-2 to take a 20-point lead with 55 seconds left in the half. In was 54-36 when Cortez beat the buzzer with a layup after Carvalho found her for her eighth assist.
 
UVU hit 58% from the field (19-33) in the opening half and were led by 13 points from Cortez, with 10 of those coming in the second quarter. Carvalho had nine points and eight assists in the first half. Chicago State went without a field over the final eight minutes of the quarter, missing nine straight attempts from the field.
 
The Wolverines scored seven of the first nine points out of the half to take 63-38 lead before Tyeshia Bowers hit a 3-pointer for CSU to end a drought of nearly 11 minutes of game time without a made field goal. Chicago State would hit just one more field in the third as Utah Valley outscored the Cougars 19-12 to make it 75-48 after three.
 
UVU finished the contest at 44.4% (32-72) from the field and held the Cougars to just 29.8% (17-57). Utah Valley also held a 49-39 edge on the glass, with Williams eight rebounds leading the way. The Wolverines also turned 22 CSU turnovers into 29 points and had a decisive 48-10 advantage on points in the paint.
 
The Wolverines continue WAC play on Saturday afternoon against Kansas City at 2 p.m. MT in Lockhart Arena. The Roos opened conference play with a 76-65 road win at Seattle University on Thursday night.