STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Trevan Leonhardt scored 20 points and Isaac Davis added 17 as Utah Valley snapped a two-game skid with an 83–55 road win over Tarleton State on Thursday night at EECU Center.
Utah Valley improves to 16-6 overall and 6-3 in WAC play, while Tarleton State falls to 11-10 overall and 2-6 in league action. The Wolverines have now won four straight games in Stephenville and return to Orem for a two-game homestand, where UVU owns the nation's sixth-longest home win streak at 22 games.
After trailing by as many as 11 points late in the first half, Utah Valley closed the period on a decisive run to seize control of the game. Tarleton State led 32-21 with 5:25 remaining before jumpers by Leonhardt and Isaac Hawkins ignited a 14-0 UVU run to end the half, giving the Wolverines a 35-32 lead at the break.
Tarleton State briefly pulled even early in the second half, tying the game at 39-39 with 15:39 to play, but Utah Valley responded emphatically. A Braden Housley three-pointer sparked a 20-6 run that pushed the Wolverines in front by double digits, and the margin continued to grow from there. Davis punctuated the surge with a one-handed dunk on an out-of-bounds play as UVU extended the lead to 27 points late in the game.
Leonhardt finished with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting, adding five rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block. Davis was perfect from the floor, scoring 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting while also going 2-of-2 at the free throw line.
Hawkins provided a strong lift off the bench with 10 points, while Noah Taitz chipped in nine points, knocking down a pair of three-pointers.
Utah Valley shot 55.6 percent (30-of-54) from the field and 50.0 percent (8-of-16) from three-point range, while holding Tarleton State to just 28.3 percent shooting on the night. The Wolverines also held a 38-26 advantage on the glass, outscored the Texans 38-16 in the paint, and won the bench scoring battle, 28-17.
"We stuck with it after getting down early and really defended at a higher level as the game went on," head coach Todd Phillips said. "When we get stops, we can run, and our confidence grows. I was proud of how our guys responded and finished the game."
"Our offense is better when our defense is really good," Phillips said. "The paint was huge for us tonight, and that came from defending, rebounding, and playing together."
"Momentum is huge, especially in a hostile environment like this," Hawkins said. "We stacked plays, stayed locked in defensively, and trusted each other. When everyone knows there's help behind them, it makes a big difference."
Utah Valley returns home next week to host Abilene Christian on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 6 p.m., followed by UT Arlington on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 2 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and on ESPN The Fan (960 AM/103.9 FM/98.3 FM).
