OREM, Utah — Utah Valley University outlasted Weber State University, 56-55, to open the 2023-24 season on Monday night in the UCCU Center.
 
Ally Criddle led three players in double figures with 12 points, but it was the Wolverine defense turned the tide on opening night. Kylee Mabry came off the bench and tied a school record with seven steals while Criddle and Saige Gibb had three each. The team recorded 20 steals on the night, a program record against another NCAA Division I program.
 
"Weʻve been preaching that we have a level of depth we haven't had in the past and we tell everyone to be ready with what you're good at, and Kylee's really good at pressuring the ball. That changed the game," said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. "It speaks to our team this year. It can be anyone on any given night and everyone's got to be ready. I'm really just proud of this team."
 
Mabry made her debut in the contest midway through the second corner and immediately the Utah Valley defense intensified. The Wolverines trailed 27-22 at that point and closed the half on a 9-4 spurt over the final 3:24 to take the game into the half deadlocked at 31-31. Mabry had three steals during her five minutes on the floor in the quarter. After Kaylee Byon knocked down a three to make it 29-27, Mabry stole it on one end and converted the game-tying layup on the other. Criddle hit a pair from the line—after Mabry's third theft of the half—and the Wolverines had their first lead since it was 2-0 in the opening minute. 
 
Both teams registered single-digit scoring in the third with both struggling to get the ball to drop. The Wildcats led 40-39 after three.
 
In the fourth, Criddle put UVU back in front on the opening possession with a driving layup, the first of five lead changes in the final 10 minutes. After Weber State got a bucket from Ashton Adamson to regain the lead, Byon hit her second 3-pointer and Tessa Chaney scored down low on a Criddle assist to give UVU its biggest lead of the game, 46-42.
 
Weber State would tie it with four straight and eventually take a lead, 49-48, on a Kennedy Eskelson triple with 3:19 remaining. Eleyana Tafisi pushed UVU back in front with two free throws and Liana Kaitu'u drove and scored to make it 52-49 with 2:20 to go.
 
The Wildcats answered with a 3-point play on a bucket and free throw from Kendra Parry, knotting the game at 52-52. Once again for Utah Valley, defense turned into offense as Mabry nabbed her seventh steal—tying the school record—and fed Tahlia White for a layup that put the Wolverines up for good. A pair of free throws made it 56-52 with just two seconds left before Parra banked in a tough three right before time expired for the final 56-55 tally.
 
Weber State had a decisive 44-21 edge in rebounding but was hurt by 27 turnovers while the Wolverines finished with 16 turnovers.
 
Byon and Kaitu'u joined Criddle in double figures with 11 and 10, respectively. Chaney was also a big contributor off the bench, chipping in seven points and five rebounds with five points and four boards coming in the second quarter. Parra led all scorers with 13 while Jadyn Matthews added 12 points and eight rebounds. Daryn Hickok had a game-high nine rebounds for WSU.
 
With the win, the Wolverines have now won four straight season-openers under Nielson, who is entering his fifth season leading the program. Utah Valley will now be off until next Tuesday night when they make the short trip to Provo to face BYU at 7 p.m. MT.