OREM, Utah – Utah Valley defeated Pepperdine, 85-56, on Friday night inside the UCCU Center. UVU (3-1) was led by Amanda Barcello with 19 points on 5-for-6 on three-point attempts in the contest. Utah Valley kept the pressure on Pepperdine (2-1), forcing 31 turnovers in the contest which led to 42 points off turnovers. The Wolverines broke a program record for most 3-point Field Goals against a D1 opponent with 12.         
 
Kaylee Headrick finished with 12 points, three boards, and three assists. Tessa Chaney added 11 points, five boards, and four assists. Halle Nelson finished with seven points and eight rebounds as Cambree Blackham added seven points and six assists.  

"I was really happy with our effort tonight. I especially loved our defensive execution of the game plan. We were able to turn them over and create some easy baskets while executing well on offense when we were playing in the half court," said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. "I thought it was our most balanced game of the season with everyone doing their part and being ready when called on. I'm proud how this team is preparing for games and their level of focus. Hopefully we can continue to do that and keep building momentum."
 
Utah Valley started the game on an 8-0 run after back-to-back triples from Halle Nelson from the top of the key before Mabry took a fastbreak layup after the team forced a steal. Pepperdine answered with an 8-0 run of their own to cut the deficit early to 10-8. The Wolverines forced 14 turnovers and finished with 19 of their 28 points off turnovers. Barcello hit a pair of triples as UVU as a team went 6-for-8 in the opening frame, with Headrick banking in the sixth as time expired in the first quarter to finish off a 12-0 run over the final 3:14 of the first quarter.
 
The Waves cut the UVU lead down to nine early in the second quarter, but the Wolverines responded after Saige Gibb recorded one of her five steals. She quickly found Headrick, who was fouled on a made layup, and converted the three-point play on a free throw, putting Utah Valley back up 12 at 33-21. After Pepperdine again cut UVU's lead down, the half ended with UVU holding a 45-32 lead after a made layup from Kylee Mabry and a free throw from Gibb. Each finished with seven points in the game.
 
The Wolverines extended their lead to 17 at 55-38 after back-to-back 3-pointers from Barcello as part of a 9-0 run over 2:25 to go up with 3:27 left in the third quarter. Utah Valley continued to shoot well from outside as they extended the lead out to 25 after 3-pointers from Barcello and Gibb.
 
Leading 68-45 at the beginning of the final frame, Chaney had back-to-back buckets for the Wolverines before Barcello nailed a pair from the charity stripe for the Wolverines during a short 5-0 run for the hosts from Orem. In the final four minutes, Utah Valley went to the bench with KJ Carlyle scoring five quick points on a layup and three-pointer, which was UVU's12^th of the night, to put UVU up 78-49. Utah Valley saw the home debuts of Evie Leeson, who scored her first points as a Wolverine with a free throw, Anna Shreeve had four points with two coming at the free throw line, before she added a steal and a fastbreak layup to extend UVU's lead to the largest of the night, 83-51, a 32-point deficit for Pepperdine. Orem native, Gaby Goo, capped the scoring with a free-throw line jumper late.  
 
The Wolverines defensively swarmed the Waves all night, limiting them to 35% shooting and just 27% in the second half of the game.
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley hosts Benedictine on Monday, Nov. 17, at 6:00 p.m. MT inside the UCCU Center. The game will air on ESPN+.