OREM—Tanner Toolson scored a career-high 26 points and Drake Allen added 16 to lead Utah Valley to an 84-71 win over in-state WAC foe Utah Tech in the Old Hammer Rivalry on Saturday afternoon at the UCCU Center. 
 
Utah Valley snaps a three-game skid and improves to 9-10 overall and 4-4 in WAC play. Utah Tech falls to 7-11 overall and 3-4 in league play. 
 
"Utah Tech is a really good team," said Utah Valley head coach Todd Phillips. "Coach Judkins does a great job down there and they were missing their best player tonight. I was really proud of our guys. We were up big and could have blown them out, but we fouled too much and they battled back to cut it to single digits. We came off an emotional game at Grand Canyon on Thursday night and coming back and getting another win at home is great. If we can steal a couple on the road, we will be right there at the end of the season."
 
Utah Valley had led by as many as 19 points, 50-31, with 14:35 to play in the game, but Utah Tech rallied to cut it to just an eight-point game, 75-67, with 2:36 to play. The Trailblazers couldn't get any closer as the Wolverines outscored UTU 9-4 the rest of the way to secure the win. 
 
Toolson scored his 26 points on an 8 of 14 clip from the field, including a 3 of 6 mark from long range. He also knocked down 7 of 11 shots at the free throw line. Toolson also pulled down seven rebounds with an assist.
 
Allen connected on 7 of 14 shots from the floor for his 16 points. He also tallied six steals, five rebounds, and four assists in 27 minutes of action.
 
Caleb Stone-Carrawell was also in double figures with 13 points, knocking down 4 of 10 shots from the field, including a pair of threes. He also had four assists and a pair of rebounds. 
 
Trevin Dorius had eight points with seven rebounds, while Jaden McClanahan had seven points with a team-best five assists. Osiris Grady had eight points on the night. 
 
The Wolverines shot 47.2% (25-53) from the floor with a 43.8% (7-16) mark from beyond the arc. Utah Tech shot 38.7% (24-62) from the field with a 29.2% (7-25) mark from long range. The Wolverines shot 67.5% (27-40) from the free throw line and had 20 assists on 25 make baskets. 
 
Utah Valley forced the Trailblazers into 19 turnovers and turned them into 13 points. 
 
Utah Valley now heads back out on the road for a nationally televised game on ESPNU against Seattle U on Friday night at the Redhawk Center in Seattle, Washington. Tip-off in the Emerald City is set for 7 p.m. (MT)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
Utah Valley took a 5-4 lead three minutes into the game. Toolson then knocked down a three-pointer to spark a 10-0 run over the next 5:45 to take a 15-7 lead with 11:27 to go in the half. The Wolverines hung on to their eight-point lead, 26-18, with 5:46 on the clock. Stone-Carrawell then threw down a dunk and knocked down a three as part of a 10-3 UVU run to jump out to a 15-point, 36-21, lead with 1:24 to play in the half. Utah Valley took 14-point, 39-25, lead into the break. 
 
Second Half
Toolson scored five points through the first four minutes of the second half as Utah Valley extended its lead to 17 points, 46-29, with 16 minutes to go. The Wolverines held on to a 16-point, 52-36, lead over the next 4:24 with 11:45 remaining in the game. The Trailblazers then outscored the Wolverines 13-11 over the next 4:16 as UVU held on to a 14-point, 63-49, lead with eight minutes to go. UTU outscored UVU 13-8 over the next 4:45 to cut the Utah Valley lead to just nine points, 71-62, with 3:14 to play. Utah Valley outscored Utah Tech 9-4 the rest of the way to secure the 84-71 win.