OREM, Utah — Utah Valley fell to Southern Utah, 64-60, in a tightly contested matchup at the UCCU Center. Utah Valley (9-9, 2-5 WAC) forced 25 turnovers and recorded 17 steals in the defense effort. Kaylee Headrick scored 15 points for her best scoring performance in WAC play. Sierra Chambers led SUU (12-7, 4-3) with 16 points, with 14 coming in the second half, to help the Thunderbirds come back on the road.
 
Gracie Sorenson tied a season-high with eight points and secured four rebounds in the game. Cambree Blackham had 11 points, four assists, and four steals, with Amanda Barcello adding a team-high five steals. Kylee Mabry and Saige Gibb each scored eight points.
 
Utah Valley commenced the first quarter with a strong inside presence, scoring 12 points in the paint. Headrick and Halle Nelson got the scoring started with layups in the paint for the Wolverines before Sorenson came in off the bench, hitting a pair of jumpers down low, and combined with Blackham's 3-pointers to give UVU an early 13-12 lead. The quarter ended with a short 5-0 run by the home team to take an 18-14 lead into the second quarter.
 
Utah Valley maintained its lead throughout the second quarter with strong defensive efforts and forced nine SUU turnovers in the period, highlighted by three steals from Barcello. The Wolverines went up eight with 7:16 left in the half after Nelson's second trip to the free throw line in the quarter, where she made one. Headrick led the charge to extend the lead to 28-19 after two made free throws and a layup before the Thunderbirds went on a run to end the half. UVU held a 30-26 lead after a last-second layup from Gibb.
 
The Wolverines were limited to four made field goals in the third quarter, which started with a mid-range jumper from Barcello before a 6-0 run by SUU followed. Utah Valley led 38-32 with 5:41 left in the third quarter after Gibb knocked down two 3-pointers during the span. Despite forcing eight turnovers and recording six steals during the third quarter, the Thunderbirds held a 41-40 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
Blackham connected on a 3-pointer on the opening possession of the fourth quarter to put the Wolverines back in front, 43-41. The Thunderbirds swung the momentum in the fourth quarter, shooting 50% from the field and going 10-for-11 from the charity stripe to regain the lead, starting with a 3-pointer by Ava Uhrich. Trailing 49-45, Utah Valley went back up 52-51 with Headrick's three-point play capping a 5-0 spurt in favor of UVU.
 
The Wolverines cut the deficit to 56-55 at the 2:48 mark with a Blackham layup, as the UVU defense looked for a stop. Kortney Doman hit a jumper to extend the SUU lead back to three. Mabry added four points in the final 1:10 for Utah Valley, but the comeback fell short. 
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley will host California Baptist on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. MT inside the UCCU Center. The three-game homestand ends next week with a Thursday, Jan. 29, game in Lockhart Arena against Tarleton State.