OREM—Fardaws Aimaq recorded a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double and Evan Cole added a career-high 14 rebounds to lead Utah Valley to a 78-74 win over UT Rio Grande Valley on Friday night at the UCCU Center.
 
Utah Valley improves to 9-9 overall and 7-3 in WAC play, while UTRGV falls to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in league play.  
 
Both teams struggled to find points to open the game as UTRGV scored the first bucket 2:22 seconds into the contest. It took the Wolverines 3:44 to find a basket when Jamison Overton connected on a short jumper from the right side. As UVU's poor shooting continued, the Vaqueros jumped out to an 13-2 lead with 13:20 to play in the first half. Colby Leifson stopped the bleeding with a shot from long range, sparking a 9-0 UVU run to cut the Vaquero lead to just two points, 13-11, with 11:14 remaining in the half. Down 19-14, UVU scored seven unanswered points to take its first lead of the game, 21-19, on a pair of Aimaq free throws with seven minutes to go. The free throws went on to be a part of a 19-3 UVU run as the Wolverines jumped out to a 33-22 lead with just under two minutes to play in the half. UTRGV then scored four of the last six points as the Wolverines took a 35-26 lead into the break.
 
UTRGV chipped away at UVU's lead in the second half to get within three points, 45-42, with 13:38 to play. The Wolverines responded right back with an 8-2 run sparked by a Le'Tre Darthard bucket and a Trey Woodbury three to give the Wolverines a 53-44 lead with 12 minutes remaining. UTRGV's Uche Dibiamaka then knocked down a pair of free throws and connected on a three to lead the Vaqueros on a 9-2 run over just a two-minute span to cut the UVU lead to only two points, 55-53, with 10:17 on the clock. The Wolverines got their lead back up to eight points, 59-67, with 4:48 to play. Up 74-72 with 13 seconds to play, Darthard knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Wolverines a 76-72 advantage. UVU then held on to the lead to secure the 78-74 win.
 
Aimaq scored his 22 points on a 6-of-15 clip from the field and a 10-of-13 mark at the free throw line. The redshirt sophomore also had a pair of blocks. The double-double is his 13th of the season.
 
Overton was also in double figures with 14 points, connecting on 5-of-8 shots from the field and 4-of-8 shots from the free throw line. He also pulled down three rebounds.
 
Evan Cole had eight points to go along with his career-high 14 rebounds. He also had one assist on the night. Woodbury and Darthard each helped with nine points apiece.
 
Jaden McClanahan had a career-high eight assists to go along with five points and two rebounds.
 
As a team, Utah Valley shot 43.9 percent from the field while holding the Vaqueros to a 36.4 percent mark. The Wolverines outrebounded UTRGV 47-46 on the night.
 
Anthony Bratton led UTRGV with 19 points.
 
Utah Valley will close out its 2020-21 home slate on Saturday against UTRGV on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. (MT). The game will be broadcast live on the WAC Digital Network, the GoUVU YouTube channel, and ESPN 960 AM radio.