OREM, Utah — Utah Valley defeated Benedictine (Ariz.) 74–34 on Monday night inside the UCCU Center.
Amanda Barcello finished with a game-high 15 points, five rebounds and three steals for UVU (4-1).
Cambree Blackham added 11 points, five assists and three steals.
Utah Valley's defense limited the Redhawks to 25% shooting, including just 17.9% in the second half.
Tessa Chaney also reached double figures with 12 points and five rebounds.
Gracie Sorenson added six points, and freshman
Anna Shreeve scored a career-high six.
"I was happy with our defensive performance in the second half and felt like we played more connected in those last 20 minutes. Credit to Benedictine — we knew they would play really hard, and I felt like they outcompeted us in the first half," UVU head coach
Dan Nielson said. "It was a good wake-up call that we have to be focused and execute no matter the opponent."
Benedictine opened the game with an 8–2 lead before the Wolverines chipped away. Barcello hit her first 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 8–5, and two trips to the line by Sorenson made it 8–7. Blackham's late layup pulled UVU within 11–10 at the end of the first quarter.
Utah Valley's defense took over in the second, holding the Redhawks to one field goal while forcing 11 turnovers during a 20–2 run. UVU strung together 15 unanswered points over 5:33, starting with back-to-back 3s from Blackham and Barcello.
Kylee Mabry scored four straight points — a fast-break layup off a steal followed by a putback — to extend the lead to 22–13.
UVU pushed the margin further with two free throws from Barcello and consecutive layups from Blackham to make it 30–13. The Wolverines led 35–20 at halftime.
Utah Valley drew early fouls in the third quarter and went 11-for-13 from the line while using a 12–2 run over 5:43 to pull away. The run started with a Chaney layup before
Halle Nelson added her own layup, and UVU's next five points came at the line to go up 48–23.
Kaylee Headrick finished the game with five points, three of which came during the third-quarter stretch. Shreeve provided a spark off the bench with back-to-back buckets to extend the lead to 55–25 late in the third. The Wolverines outscored Benedictine 21–9 in the quarter.
The Wolverines opened the fourth quarter with 3-pointers from Barcello and Mabry, part of a 10–0 run before the Redhawks hit a 3-pointer to make it 66–32. Chaney added four points in the paint, stretching the advantage to 68–32. UVU was able to get all available players into the game.
Utah Valley forced 31 turnovers — the third time this season the team has surpassed the 30-turnover mark, also achieving the feat against Pepperdine and Cal State Bakersfield.
UP NEXT
Utah Valley hosts in-state rival Weber State on Thursday, Nov. 20, inside the UCCU Center. It will be UVU's final home game in November. The Wolverines return home Saturday, Dec. 6, to face Air Force after a road matchup at Nevada on Monday, Nov. 24.
