OREM—Fardaws Aimaq recorded his nation-leading 13th double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds to lead Utah Valley to a 79-71 win over in-state foe Dixie State on Saturday afternoon in the Old Hammer Rivalry game at the UCCU Center.
 
Aimaq led four other Wolverines in double figures with 20 points. Connor Harding had 14 points, Blaze Nield tallied 13, Tim Fuller had 12, and Asa McCord scored a career-high 11 points.
 
Utah Valley improves to 11-4 overall and 2-1 in WAC play, while Dixie State falls to 7-9 overall and 0-3 in league play.
 
"Anytime as a coach you see 24 assists on 29 made field goals you are excited," said Utah Valley head coach Mark Madsen. "It tells you our players are unselfish, they have bought in to the team concept, and probably bigger than any of them, we have a group of extremely talented players. I was happy to see the sharing of the ball. We rebounded the ball well. I felt that Asa (McCord) came in and was a real spark plug for us. He just energized our game. All in all, it was a pretty good effort by our guys. It's an in-state game against a really good team in Dixie. They are well coached and we have nothing but respect for them."
 
Utah Valley jumped out to a 9-2 lead over the first three minutes of the game on a pair of Fuller buckets and a Nield three. Leading 12-6, Le'Tre Darthard knocked down a shot from long range to spark another 9-2 UVU run over the next 1:39 to extend UVU's lead to 13 points, 21-8, with 12:30 to play in the half. The Wolverines held on to a 10-point lead, 21-11, before going on an 11-2 run to extend the lead to 19 points, 32-13, with 7:30 to play. UVU led 39-19 with 4:36 to play in the half before Dixie State used a 7-0 run to cut the Wolverine lead to 13 points, 39-26, with 2:45 to go. UVU edged the Trailblazers 7-6 over the final 2:45 to take a 46-32 lead into the break.
 
Dixie State scored the first six points of the second half to cut the UVU lead to just eight points, 46-38. Nield then knocked down a shot from beyond the arc to start a 10-3 UVU run to extend the lead back to 15 points, 56-41, with 14:13 to play. The Trailblazers cut the lead back to single digits, 62-53, on a Jacob Nicolds three-pointer, before UVU got it back to double digits through the next four minutes. DSU then knocked down another three at the 5:44 mark to cut it back to nine points, 68-59. An Aimaq bucket and free throw, followed up by a Nield free throw extended the lead back to 13 points, 72-59, with 2:42 to play. Dixie State got as close as six points, 75-69, with just 37 points, but couldn't get any closer as Nield and Harding knocked down free throws to help UVU secure the 79-71 win.
 
Aimaq scored his 20 points on 7 of 12 shooting, including a three-pointer. He also hit 5 of 8 shots at the free throw line. He also matched a season high with four assists to go along with two blocks.
 
Harding scored his 14 points on a 4 of 7 mark from the field. He also made 5 of 6 shots at the free throw line. Harding had two rebounds and two assists. Nield tallied his 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting, including a 2 of 4 mark from long range. Nield dished out a game-high six assists.
 
Fuller made 6 of 9 shots from the field for his 12 points, while McCord was a perfect 4 for 4 from the field for his 11 points, which included a 2 of 2 mark from three-point range. McCord also had a season-high four assists with two rebounds.
 
As a team, Utah Valley shot an impressive 63 percent (29-46) from the field, including a 46.7 percent (7-15) mark from long range. UVU outrebounded the Trailblazers 35-29. The Wolverines had 24 assists on 29 made baskets.
 
Utah Valley now heads out on the road to continue WAC play at Seattle U on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at Climate Pledge Arena (previously Key Arena). Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. (MT). The Wolverines will then travel to play California Baptist on Jan. 15 in Riverside, Calif.