BAKERSFIELD, California – Utah Valley University used an 11-0 run in overtime to pick up a big road win at CSU Bakersfield, 63-56, on Thursday night in the Icardo Center. Jordan Holland scored seven of her team-high 17 points in the overtime period as the Wolverines (10-14, 7-5) moved into sole possession of third place in the WAC standings.
 
"We've had some tough endings the last couple of weeks so I'm really proud of the way we played. We played tough and stayed together and found a way to win on the road," said UVU head coach Dan Nielson.
 
The game was tied at 47 with just seconds to go in regulation when Maria Carvalho hit a three from the corner to give Utah Valley a 50-47 lead. The Runners (14-11, 6-6) tied it though, getting a foul on a 3-point attempt with 1.6 seconds left. Andie Easley knocked down all three from the line to force the extra five minutes.
 
In overtime, CSUB led 54-52 after Jayden Eggleston hit a jumper with 2:59 to go but wouldn't score again until the final buzzer sounded. Nehaa Sohail tied it at 54 and later, Holland hit a pair from the line to give UVU the lead for good with 2:16 left. Josie Williams followed with a put back, Holland went 1-for-2 from the line, she hit two free throws 30 seconds later and Maria Carvalho knocked down both of her foul shots with 14 seconds left to cap the 11-0 spurt and give UVU a 63-54 lead.
 
Eve Braslis scored 13 points, Carvalho added 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Josie Williams finished with 11 points and eight boards for UVU, which won the rebounding battle, 40-38, despite surrendering 21 offensive rebounds to the Runners. Madison Grange also matched her career high with seven boards. 
 
Easley led all scorers with 19 and Eggleston added 14 points. Miracle Saxon and Vanessa Austin both had 10 rebounds for CSUB. The Runners got off 20 more attempts from the field than the Wolverines, but hit just 22-for-73 (30.8%) while UVU was 21-for-53 (39.6%).
 
There were six lead changes in the opening quarter with the teams trading 3-pointers in the final minute of the quarter. Andie Easley hit one to give CSUB a 14-11 lead, but Carvalho answered with a triple with 36 seconds left and the game was tied at 14-14 after one.
 
UVU led 17-16 midway through the second when Carvalho stole the ball and found Keana Delos Santos for two. Braslis later put back her own miss to give UVU a 22-16 lead to force a CSUB timeout. The Wolverines led by as much as eight, 29-21, after Carvalho collected her fifth assist of the half when Williams buried a baseline jumper. Dalis Jones scored for the Runners with a minute to go and the Utah Valley led 29-23 at the break

Alexis Cortez hit a three from the corner to give Utah Valley a 34-27 lead in the third, but CSU Bakersfield responded with an 10-0 run, with all points coming off of Wolverine turnovers. UVU turned the ball over on six straight possessions to allow the Runners to take their first lead since the opening quarter. CSUB finished the third on a 12-1 run and outscored UVU 16-6 in the frame with nine turnovers in the quarter leading to 12 of the 16 points.

Austin scored for the Runners to push the lead to 43-37 with just over seven minutes remaining before Utah Valley made a run. Sohail and Braslis both got buckets and Williams hit a free throw to get UVU within a point, 43-42, with 4:30 left. Holland gave UVU the lead on a layup but Austin answered back to put CSUB in front with 1:34 left. Braslis then scored and was fouled and knocked down the free throw to give UVU a 47-45 lead with 1:04 to go. Easley tied with a baseline jumper with 14 seconds left before Carvalho what looked like the game-winner until the free throws that extended the contest. 

The win gives UVU a split of the season series after the Runners won at the buzzer in Orem earlier this season. The win was also the first road victory at CSUB for the Wolverines, who had gone 0-9 prior. Thursday's game was also the last time the teams will meet in Bakersfield as members of the WAC, with CSUB moving to the Big West Conference next year.  
 
The Wolverines will now head to Phoenix to take on Grand Canyon in a 2 p.m. tip on Saturday. The Lopes held off Seattle U at home, 63-60, on Thursday night.