HUNTSVILLE, Texas —Sam Houston rode a hot start to a 71-56 win over Utah Valley University on Saturday at Johnson Coliseum in WAC women's basketball action.
 
Kaylee Byon led the way with 17 points and five assists while Shay Fano finished with 16 for UVU. Ally Criddle added nine points and six rebounds for the Wolverines (4-15, 1-7), while the Bearkats (8-8, 4-3) had four players in double figures led by Raanee Smith's 16 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Bearkats hit seven of their first 10 attempts from beyond the arc and were 9-for-16 in the opening half, building a 17-point lead after 20 minutes of play.
 
The Bearkats started the game 3-for-4 from three and were 5-for-8 in the opening quarter to build a 19-11 lead after one. Fano had seven in the first and scored after a no-look pass from Byon that made it 13-11 with 1:35 to go, but Sam Houston hit a pair of 3-pointers to close the quarter, including one from Mikayla Eddins that beat the buzzer.
 
The hot shooting from distance continued in the second as the Bearkats built a 29-16 lead after hitting their first two attempts. Criddle beat the shot clock with a three for UVU, but Sam Houston was in the middle of an 18-5 run that pushed the lead to 31-16 with 5:21 before halftime. Kayla Jefferson hit her third 3-pointer right before time expired and the Bearkats took a 41-24 lead into the break.
 
Fano and Jefferson both scored 11 to lead their teams in the opening half. Byon added eight and Criddle had five for the Wolverines.
 
Utah Valley trailed 43-24 early in the third before a 10-2 run trimmed the lead to 45-34. Mae Afoa hit a 3-pointer to start the run and Criddle scored four points including a jumper from the elbow that made it an 11-point game.
 
Sam Houston closed the quarter with seven straight points starting with Mikayla Woods' third 3-pointer of the game, and the Bearkats took a 54-36 lead into the final quarter of play.
 
In the fourth, the Wolverines trailed 57-40 after buckets from Eleyana Tafisi and Fano, but Kemp put the game out of reach with back-to-back 3-pointers. Sam Houston finished the game 12-for-21 (57.1%) from beyond the arc.
 
Next week, Utah Valley will return home to host Seattle University next Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. MT in the UCCU Center.