OREM—Carter Welling scored 19 points and Dominick Nelson added 15 to lead Utah Valley to a commanding 80-57 win, snapping a four-game losing streak in the Wolverines' return to the UCCU Center.
 
"Our guys responded tonight," said Utah Valley head coach Todd Phillips. "It's been a tough stretch on the road, but being home and getting two solid practices made a big difference. We shared the ball really well, knocked down shots, and locked in defensively in the second half. I'm proud of how they responded to the challenge."
 
Utah Valley improves to 5-5 on the season, while North Dakota falls to 4-6 with the loss.
 
After taking a 35-31 lead into the half, the Wolverines opened the second half with a blistering 20-3 run, extending their lead to 21 points, 55-34, with 16:44 remaining. UVU built its largest lead of the game at 24 points and never looked back. North Dakota managed to trim the deficit to 14 points with 4:36 to play, but UVU closed strong to secure the decisive 18-point victory.
 
Welling led the Wolverines with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Nelson added 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting while also contributing four rebounds, three assists, and a block. 
 
Trevan Leonhardt flirted with a triple-double, scoring nine points—all from beyond the arc—while grabbing a career-high nine rebounds and dishing out six assists.
 
Tanner Toolson contributed 10 points, and Jackson Holcombe chipped in nine off the bench. Noah Taitz also provided a spark off the bench with a season-high eight points.
 
The Wolverines shot an impressive 51.7% (31-of-60) from the field and 42.9% (12-of-28) from three-point range while holding North Dakota to 33.8% (22-of-65) shooting overall. UVU outrebounded UND 39-37 and outscored the Fighting Hawks 30-20 in the paint.
 
The Wolverines now embark on a three-game road stretch, starting with a matchup against Jacksonville State on Dec. 14. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and the Wolverine Sports Network (960 AM/103.9 FM in Utah County, 98.3 FM/101.5 HD2 in Salt Lake County).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
North Dakota took an early 7-4 lead through the first four minutes, but Utah Valley responded with back-to-back threes from Trevan Leonhardt and Carter Welling to take a 10-7 advantage. The Fighting Hawks answered with an 11-0 run over the next three minutes, building an 18-10 lead with 12:26 remaining in the half. The Wolverines countered with 11 unanswered points as part of a dominant 20-3 run, seizing a 30-21 lead with 5:12 left on the clock. North Dakota closed the half on a 10-5 run, trimming UVU's lead to 35-31 at the break.
 
Second Half
Utah Valley came out of halftime firing on all cylinders, opening the second half with a 20-3 run, highlighted by emphatic dunks from Carter Welling and Osiris Grady, to push its lead to 21 points, 55-34, with 16:44 remaining. The two teams traded baskets over the next six minutes, with UVU maintaining its 21-point advantage, 63-42, at the 8:53 mark. North Dakota managed a 10-6 run over the following five minutes, cutting the Wolverines' lead to 17 points at 69-52 with 4:36 to play, but UVU held firm to secure the 80-57 win.