OREM, Utah — Four Utah Valley players scored in double figures but a big second half from Emily Isaacson helped Utah Tech to a 71-59 in the regular season finale on Thursday as the in-state foes met in the Old Hammer Rivalry. Isaacson scored 23 of her game-high 26 points in the second half and went 4-for-4 from three while scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter to help the Trailblazers (18-11, 10-8) pull away after entering the fourth up just three.
 
Shay Fano led the Wolverines (6-23, 3-15) with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Ally Criddle and Kaylee Byon both scored 13 and Eleyana Tafisi added 11. Mae Afoa grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds for UVU.

It was also Senior Night for Utah Valley with Kayla Anderson honored following the game. Anderson has been sidelined with an injury since the Wolverines played at UNLV in the third game of the season, but she made the start on Thursday before being replaced right after the tip and exiting the court for the final time.

Both teams shot the ball well from the perimeter to begin the game. Utah Valley connected on five of its first eight attempts from three—with two coming from Criddle—while Utah Tech started 6-for-11 from distance.
 
The Trailblazers led by as much as eight in the opening quarter, taking a 19-11 lead after five straight points from Amber Kartchner. Criddle's first three came in the waning seconds of the first and got UVU within five, 21-16, after one. Her second answered a corner three from Brooke Vance to start the second quarter and came as Utah Tech began a stretch of seven consecutive misses from the field as the Wolverines climbed to within a point, 28-27.
 
Maggie McCord ended the nearly seven-minute stretch without a field goal for UTU with a 3-pointer with 2:32 to go until halftime. UVU trailed by five late before Byon and Tafisi both scored to make it a 34-33 game at the break.
 
Fano, who had seven points and seven rebounds in the first half, hit two free throws on the opening possession of the second half to give Utah Valley its first lead since the opening minute of the contest. Isaacson scored the next five including a three that gave Utah Tech a 39-35 lead. UVU led briefly again after a pair from the line by Kylee Mabry, but a 6-0 run put the Trailblazers back in front. UTU led 51-48 after three. Isaacson scored 11 points and hit all five of her attempts from the field in the quarter.
 
Isaacson continued her torrid shooting to start the fourth, knocking down her first four attempts from beyond the arc. She hit back-to-back triples midway through the quarter as Utah Tech used a 12-2 run—all on 3-pointers—to take a 66-55 lead with 4:26 remaining. Isaacson made nine of her first 10 shots in the second half, including all five of her attempts from distance. She finished the game 10-for-16 overall and 6-for-10 from three. Utah Tech was 14-for-35 (40%) from beyond the arc in the game.

Up next for both teams is the WAC Tournament, which begins on Monday at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The full bracket and seeds are scheduled to be released by the league office at 2 p.m. MT on Friday afternoon.