OREM, Utah — A furious fourth-quarter comeback came up short as Utah Valley University fell to WAC leader Southern Utah University, 75-70, in WAC women's basketball on Saturday afternoon in the UCCU Center.
 
Shay Fano scored 18 of her game-high 20 points in the second half including 10 in the fourth quarter as the Wolverines (6-18, 3-10) were able to claw their way to within three late, but the T-Birds (15-8, 11-1) held on. Joining Fano in double figures were Ally Criddle with 12 points, and Kaylee Byon and Elina Tausinga with 11 each. Tausinga's output came on 5-for-5 from the field as she set a new career-high for the second straight game.
 
"The message after the game was positive. We had a few breakdowns, but I'll tip my cap to SUU, they made shots. I thought we adjusted well, stayed with it, played hard, and stayed positive," said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. "The girls fought tooth and nail and brought everything they had. I can't be anything but proud of the effort today."
 
Southern Utah also had four players in double figures with Samantha Johnston sharing game-high scoring honors with Fano with 20, on 6-for-11 shooting—all from beyond the arc. Megan Jensen added 19 points while Lizzy Williamson and Daylani Ballena both finished with 12.
 
The T-Birds shot 50% for the game, making 27-of-54 overall, while also going 10-for-25 from three. Utah Valley was 25-for-56 (44.6%) overall while turning the ball over just five times, a season-low.
 
SUU got off to a torrid start from the field to build an early advantage. The T-Birds hit seven of their first nine attempts and finished the opening quarter 10-for-15 including 4-for-5 from three. Johnston hit a trio of 3-pointers in the opening quarter to help SUU lead by as much as 11. UVU trailed 24-14 after Johnson's third make, with 90 seconds left, before Byon scored to get the Wolverines within eight, 24-16, at the end of the quarter.
 
Utah Valley trailed 38-26 before Saige Gibb and Tausinga hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make it a 38-32 game. Tausinga matched her career-high, which she set in Thursday's win over UT Arlington, with nine first-half points. Southern Utah responded with an 8-0 burst behind 3-pointers from Ballena and Jensen, and Jensen capped the run with a layup that gave SUU its biggest lead of the half, 46-32, with under a minute to go. Byon went coast-to-coast in the quarter's final seconds and scored just before the buzzer sounded to make it 46-34 at the break.

The T-Birds shot 60% (18-for-30) in the first half, including 7-for-12 (58.3%) from beyond the arc. Johnston had 12 at the half to lead all scorers, Tausinga had nine, and Byon added eight.
 
Utah Valley was down 67-50 with over eight minutes remaining when Gibb and Mae Afoa buried consecutive 3-pointers to start an 18-4 run. Down 13, Criddle hit a three to start a run of seven straight to get UVU within six, 69-63. Ballena hit a jumper to push in back to eight before the Wolverines scored the next five, with Fano scoring a tough bucket down low to make it 71-68 with 2:28 remaining.
 
The teams traded a pair of free throws after that and Utah Valley had the ball with a chance to tie but couldn't connect and Johnston iced it with a pair from the line.
 
Next week, Utah Valley will head to Riverside to face California Baptist on Thursday, Feb. 16 in the only action of the week.