LAS VEGAS, Nev. — A late rally fell short as Utah Valley University fell in the WAC Tournament semifinal to Grand Canyon University, 57-54, on Friday at the Orleans Arena.
 
Josie Williams led the Wolverines (13-6) with 16 points and 11 rebounds while Shay Fano added 11 points and seven boards and Megan Jensen scored nine points off the bench. Katie Scott had a game-high 18 points for the Lopes (18-6) while Tiarra Brown finished with 15.
 
"It's frustrating to lose but credit to Grand Canyon. It definitely wasn't the prettiest game and we would have liked to have ended it on a better look, but it is what it is," said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. "I'm proud of our team for what we've accomplished this year and excited to keep building."
 
UVU found itself down 10, 55-45, with 3:26 left after a 10-2 GCU run. The Wolverines didn't go away though, getting a Williams layup and a three from Nehaa Sohail to cut the lead in half with 1:40 remaining. Fano scored with 43 seconds left to make 55-52 and, following a Fano steal, Williams got to the line and hit both to make it a one-point game with 21 seconds left.
 
After two Scott free throws, Utah Valley had a chance to tie but couldn't get a clean look off and time expired following a desperation attempt to send the game to overtime.
 
The Wolverines will now have to wait for Saturday's championship result between GCU and regular season champion and unbeaten California Baptist. Should CBU win the tournament, UVU would get its first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of its second-place finish in the WAC regular season.
 
"Obviously it's not a conventional way to go to the tournament but it's the way the rules were decided. Having been to the tournament several times myself as a coach, it's an experience I'd love for my girls to have," Nielson said.
 
Utah Valley had a 41-29 edge on the glass but were hurt by 25 turnovers, finishing with 13 fewer attempts from the field than GCU. The Wolverines were 21-for-49 (42.9%) overall while Grand Canyon shot 23-of-62 (37.1%).
 
Early on, the Wolverines took an 8-3 lead on a Fano bucket midway through the first quarter as both teams started slow on the offensive end. UVU led 12-9 before Laura Piera beat the horn with a three to tie it at 12-12 after one.
 
UVU led 17-16 in the second when Jensen put back her own miss to push the lead to three. That would be the last points of the half for the Wolverines though, with GCU scoring seven straight to take a 23-19 lead into the break.  
 
Williams and Fano led a 6-0 start to the half, with Fano hitting two from the line to give UVU a 25-23 lead at the 6:59 mark. From there the game went back and forth, GCU scored four straight to take and lead and Utah Valley got an and-one from Josie Williams to regain the lead before Jensen scored two of her six points in the quarter to make it 30-27. The Lopes took the lead back and had a 34-32 advantage when Carvalho just beat the shot clock to tie it again. The game was tied after three at 36-36.