Cold shooting night dooms UVU men’s basketball in loss

Wolverines finish 2-3 on five-game road trip

MORAGA, Calif.—The St. Mary’s Gaels defeated the Utah Valley University Wolverines 65-50 Monday night in the final game of a five-game road trip for UVU. Jaden Jackson led the Wolverines with a team-high 16 points. Marcel Davis and Konner Frey followed with nine points each.

A slow start hurt the Wolverines again as they never recovered from a first half deficit by shooting as cold as temperatures in Orem, with an icy 6-of-30 from the field. UVU managed just a single field goal in the first 10 minutes of play. The Wolverines closed out the half by scoring 14 points in the final 10 minutes, but only after the Gaels built a 20-4 lead at the midpoint of the first half.

The Wolverines started the second half strong by cutting into the Gaels’ lead and getting as close as 10 points. The Gaels answered the run and pulled away to extend their lead to as many as 23 points after a layup by SMC guard Dane Pineau with 8:34 remaining in the game.

Pineau’s field goal was the Gaels’ last of the game as the Wolverines came roaring back to within 10 points again after a Marcel Davis 3-pointer with 1:11 to play. UVU did not score again as St. Mary’s knocked down five free throws in the final minute to put the game away.

The Wolverines finished the game shooting just 27 percent from the field, while the Gaels finished at 42 percent. The bright spot of UVU’s night came from behind the 3-point arc as they shot 37 percent from range, compared to SMC’s 12 percent.

After five games on the road, UVU returns to the UCCU Center on Saturday, January 2 to host the San Diego Christian Hawks at 7 p.m. MST.