SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Utah Valley University survived in a 56-54 nail-biter over Alabama A&M on Friday night at the Jenny Craig Pavilion at the University of San Diego's Thanksgiving Classic.
Tahlia White had a season-high 19 points on 9-for-12 shooting to lead the Wolverines, who moved to 6-1 with the win.
Kylee Mabry added 12 points and
Tessa Chaney finished with 10.
Ally Criddle scored five of her six points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning bucket with one minute left in the game. Earlier, Criddle hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:51 remaining to give UVU a 50-49 lead. The score was 52-51 when Chaney scored with her left hand on a feed from
Saige Gibb, giving UVU a 3-point lead with 2:15 to go.
Out of a Bulldog timeout, Mailyn Wilkerson tied it with a 3-pointer with 1:19 left before Criddle took it to the basket and scored with her left hand to put UVU back in front right at the 1-minute mark.
"This was a gutty win," said UVU head coach
Dan Nielson. "I'm really proud of how we responded after going down in the fourth. Alabama A&M really upped their pressure and turned us over more than I would have liked, but down the stretch we made some big plays. It's great to get a win on a neutral court over a good team."
The Wolverines got things going down low early, with Chaney scoring the first two buckets of the game on her way to six first-quarter points and 12 points in the paint for UVU in the quarter. UVU led 11-9 before closing the first with the last five points to take a 16-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.
White, who had five in the opening quarter, helped the Wolverines push the lead into double digits after she scored eight straight UVU points. Gibb hit a three to extend to give UVU a 22-15 lead and then had a steal and fed White for two to start the spurt. Utah Valley led by double digits on three occasions late in the second, but the Bulldogs had an answer each time, getting to within six, 34-28, at the break. White had 15 on 7-for-9 shooting in the half. 24 of UVU's 34 points in the half came in the paint.
Lauryn Pendleton scored six points during an 8-2 run for Alabama A&M that tied the game at 38-38 midway through the third. White intercepted a pass and had an open layup at the other end to put UVU back in front, 40-38.
Kourtney Rittenberry scored for the Bulldogs with 2:08 left in the third to give Alabama A&M its first lead of the game, 42-41. Utah Valley trailed 44-43 after three, with seven turnovers in the quarter limiting the Wolverines to just nine attempts from the field as they were outscored 16-9 in the quarter.
Stafford Collins scored to begin the fourth to put UVU back in front but that was answered by five points from Kaila Walker, including a three, to give the Bulldogs a 49-45 lead, but UVU answered with seven straight points. Mabry hit two free throws to start the run before Criddle's go-ahead triple from the corner out of an inbound play.
The Wolverines will take on Omaha on Saturday at 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT to wrap up the holiday classic. The Mavericks edged host San Diego, 70-66, in the first game of the day on Friday.
