PROVO, Utah — Utah Valley University stayed in the game for a half but went cold after halftime as BYU pulled away to win 76-36 on Tuesday at the Marriott Center.
 
After hitting just shy of 50% (9-for-19) in the opening half, the Wolverines (6-4) were just 3-for-29 over the final 20 minutes. For the game, UVU shot 12-for-48 (25%) overall while the Cougars (8-2) were 30-for-60 overall and also made 11-of-24 from three.
 
Down five early, the Wolverines got 3-point makes from Cambree Blackham and Kylee Mabry, with Mabry's buckets capping a 5-0 spurt that tied it at 12-12 late in the first. The Cougars (8-2) closed with five straight with Lauren Davenport making one of her three first-half 3-pointers from deep to beat the buzzer.
 
Ally Criddle banked in a three to start the second and get UVU within two, but BYU stayed hot from distance, making six 3-pointers in the opening half, with Davenport giving the Cougars a 36-24 lead with 17 seconds left. Blackham got to the line and hit two free throws to make it a 36-26 game at the break.
 
The Cougars opened the third on a 9-0 run, with Davenport connecting on another triple from the corner during the spurt the broke the game open. Utah Valley went cold, hitting just 1-for-14 from the field in the third while BYU continued to shoot at a 50-percent clip to outscore the Wolverines 19-5 in the third and carry a 55-31 into the final 10 minutes.
 
Davenport made six 3-pointers as the Cougars and led all scorers with 20 points while Delaney Gibb finished with 14. Mabry had nine to lead the Wolverines with Tessa Chaney and Amanda Barcello adding six points apiece. Danja Stafford Collins pulled down eight rebounds for UVU.
 
The Wolverines will return to the UCCU Center next Monday night to host Jacksonville State in the second of two WAC/CUSA Challenge games. Utah Valley won a road contest earlier this season at Kennesaw State to open the challenge.