OREM—Tanner Toolson poured in a season-high 24 points to lead Utah Valley to an 81-56 win over Tarleton State on Saturday afternoon at the UCCU Center, keeping the Wolverines atop the WAC standings with a 9-1 record. The victory also marks UVU's 12th win in its last 13 games.

With the win, Utah Valley improves to 17-7 overall, surpassing last season's win total of 16. The Wolverines also remain perfect at home, moving to 10-0 at the UCCU Center.

Toolson's game-high 24 points came on 6-of-10 shooting, including a career-high-tying five three-pointers. He also went 7-of-8 at the free-throw line while adding three steals and a block.

"Tanner was knocking down threes, which always helps us," said Utah Valley head coach Todd Phillips. "When we move the ball and share it, we're really good, and that showed tonight with 23 assists as a team."

Carter Welling finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Dominick Nelson also reached double figures with 11 points and eight boards. Jackson Holcombe added nine points and four rebounds, and Ethan Potter chipped in seven points and four boards.

Kylin Green provided a spark off the bench, scoring all six of his points in the second half while dishing out a career-high seven assists—five of which came after halftime—along with two steals.

"Kylin's been big time for us," Toolson said. "He's always ready to go in practice, and when he comes into a game, he plays hard and makes the right plays. Seven assists is crazy, that's really good."

Utah Valley shot an efficient 50% (25-of-50) from the field and 47.4% (9-of-19) from three-point range, while holding Tarleton State to just 31.9% (15-of-47) shooting. The Wolverines also won the rebounding battle, 34-32, and dominated the paint, outscoring the Texans 30-12 inside.

UVU now has a week to prepare for a road matchup against in-state rival Southern Utah on Saturday, Feb. 15, in Cedar City. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and broadcast on the Wolverine Sports Network and ESPN The Fan (960 AM/103.9 FM in Utah County, 98.3 FM/101.5 HD2 in Salt Lake County).

How It Happened

First Half
Tarleton State grabbed an early 8-7 lead after three ties and two lead changes in the first four minutes. The teams continued to trade baskets, with UVU tying the game at 15-15 with 11:50 remaining. The Texans then used a 7-3 run to take a 22-18 advantage, but the Wolverines answered with four straight points to even the score at 22-22.

After Tarleton reclaimed a three-point lead, 29-26, with 5:36 left in the half, Toolson took over—hitting three free throws and a three-pointer to spark a 13-7 UVU run. The Wolverines closed the half strong, taking a 39-36 lead into the break.

"We knew it would take a little while to get used to their pressure and style of play," Toolson said. "Once we settled in, we took care of the ball, and that made the difference."

Second Half
Carter Welling opened the second half with four quick points as UVU extended its lead to 52-42 over the first six minutes. Nelson then ignited a 10-3 Wolverine run with a dunk, pushing the advantage to 62-45 with nine minutes remaining.

Utah Valley continued to build on its lead, stretching it to 21 points, 74-53, with 3:36 left. The Wolverines then outscored the Texans 7-3 down the stretch to seal the dominant 81-56 victory.

"I think one of our strengths is that we play a lot of guys," Phillips said. "We kept coming at them, and I think they got a little tired in the second half with the altitude here. It really helped us wear them down."