OREM, Utah – Gracie Sorenson scored the game-winning basket with 18 seconds left and finished with a career-high 17 points Wednesday night to lead Utah Valley past California Baptist, 63-61. UVU (12-12, 5-8) had three scorers in double figures, with Amanda Barcello adding 16 points and Cambree Blackham finishing with 13 and eight assists. Lauren Olsen led CBU (17-10, 11-3) with 18 points as the Lancers went 10-for-31 from 3-point range.
 
Sorenson finished 6-for-10 from the field as UVU scored 32 of its 63 points in the paint. Barcello made three 3-pointers for the Wolverines, moving her past Rebecca Mawhinney for fourth place all-time in made 3-pointers. Kylee Mabry recorded three of UVU's 11 steals to move past 200 for her career, becoming the second player in program history to reach the mark.
 
"I was proud of our resilience tonight," said UVU head coach Dan Nielson. "Every time CBU made a run, we answered. I thought we were good at disrupting them defensively for the first three quarters, and Gracie really got us going on offense. It was a much-needed road win against a good team."
 
The Wolverines forced nine turnovers in the first quarter and held the Lancers to 30% shooting, including keeping CBU scoreless for more than four minutes. That stretch led to a 12-0 run by UVU, highlighted by 10 points in the paint, starting with a layup from Barcello and a pair of driving layups from Blackham. Sorenson, off the bench, added four points in the quarter, including two free throws late in the period, to give Utah Valley a 16-7 lead.
 
California Baptist turned up the defense in the second quarter, limiting the Wolverines to 3-for-11 shooting while holding them without a free-throw attempt. After the lead was cut to 16-14 with 7:28 left in the quarter, Mabry knocked down a 3-pointer before Barcello added a jumper from the wing for a quick 5-0 run and a 21-14 advantage. The Lancers responded with a 6-0 run to pull within 21-20 with 1:15 remaining. Kaylee Headrick scored with 46 seconds left on a layup following a pass from Blackham.
 
Utah Valley trailed 29-23 with 5:53 left in the third quarter before tightening up defensively and holding CBU scoreless for more than 4:30. The Wolverines answered with a 17-0 run, starting with a Blackham 3-pointer before Barcello scored eight straight points on two 3-pointers. The surge ended with Sorenson knocking down back-to-back jumpers and two free throws to give UVU an 11-point lead, 40-29.
 
The defensive battle turned into an offensive shootout in the fourth quarter as the Lancers cut the deficit to 40-38 early in the period. California Baptist then used a 9-0 run, capped by three 3-pointers, to take a 54-49 lead. Utah Valley later trailed 58-53 with 3:34 remaining before responding with a 6-0 run to go back in front, 59-58, with 1:18 left after Barcello made two free throws.
 
The Wolverines had the ball down 61-59 when Blackham found Headrick cutting under the basket for a reverse layup to tie the game. Utah Valley then forced a turnover and regained possession with 31.4 seconds remaining. Sorenson drove into the lane and scored on a left-handed hook shot to put UVU ahead 61-59.
 
Mabry anchored the defense on CBU's final two possessions, first drawing a charge as Olsen drove to the basket and then forcing the ball out of Olsen's hands on the final play, resulting in a missed shot as time expired.
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley begins a key stretch of the season with three of its final five games along the Wasatch Front, starting Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m. MT inside the UCCU Center.