The Utah Valley women’s basketball team came back from a halftime deficit but were unable to find the winning bucket as they fell to the Lamar Cardinals 59-55 in double-overtime in Beaumont, Texas on Saturday, Jan. 22.
The Wolverines trailed much of the game but were able to take the lead late in regulation. UVU led most of both overtimes but ultimately were unable to put the Cardinals away.
The Wolverines held a 53-52 lead with under a minute remaining in the second overtime when Josie Williams picked up a clutch defensive rebound. However, in the process of securing the rebound, an errant elbow from Williams caught a Lamar player, which was called a dead-ball personal foul, and resulted in her fifth personal foul. The Cardinals got two free throws and the ball, and then went on a 7-0 run to put the game out of reach.
Shay Fano led the Wolverines with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, along with seven rebounds. Williams recorded her 12th double-double of the season, going for 12 points and 10 rebounds. Maria Carvalho played all 50 minutes of the contest, logging eight points, eight assists, and five rebounds, but also turned the ball over nine times.
Turnovers put UVU behind the eight ball early on, with six turnovers in the first quarter and 10 in the first half. The Wolverines turned the ball over 22 times total, leading to 21 Cardinals points.
The Wolverines trailed most of the first hai were able to cut into the deficit with a 5-0 run in the closing moments. UVU rode that momentum into the second half, outscoring the Cardinals 15-9 in the third quarter. Carvalho capped off the quarter with a sweet finger roll layup to tie the game for the first time since early in the first.
Both teams started the 4th quarter red hot, but the offenses cooled off down the home stretch. Fano had the game-tying layup with just over two minutes in regulation, which was the only points scored in the final five minutes.
Williams had a good look on the final possession of regulation but was unable to make her layup. Williams was being hounded by a pair of Cardinal defenders on the shot, but the refs elected to play on and no foul was called.
Madison Grange, who was coming off a career-high 24 points on Thursday against UTRGV, got things going to start the first overtime. Grange nailed a tough fadeaway jumper, then dished off of the drive to Williams who laid it in. Grange finished the night with 10 points, her fifth-consecutive game scoring in double figures.
On the next trip down, Ally Blackham was called for a controversial traveling violation, which turned into points for Lamar on their next possession. Carvalho missed a euro step layup, but Fano was able to put it back in for the last points of the first OT.
The Wolverines held the lead for most of the second overtime, but momentum shifted with the Williams flagrant foul. The Cardinals were able to turn a one-point deficit into a two-point lead, and the Wolverines were unable to score another basket until the game was essentially out of reach.
The Wolverines will next host Seattle U at the UCCU Center on Monday, Jan. 24. The game tips off at 2 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
