Utah Valley returned home to host in-state rival, Utah Tech after its thrilling overtime victory against UT Arlington on Thursday.
The Wolverines scored its most against a Division I opponent all year, hanging 96 points on the board as four players reached double figures.
Tanner Toolson led all scorers with 18, marking his fourth straight game in double-figures.
“We always try to do the little things,” Toolson said. “We’re physical, we want it, and lately our shots have been falling, so we’ve just got to keep this momentum rolling.”
Trevan Leonhardt scored a season high 14 points, along with four assists. He also made an impact defensively with three steals. Dominick Nelson added 15 points and four rebounds, while Carter Welling finished with 13 points.
Utah Valley shot 55.2% (32-of-58) from the field, knocking down eight three-pointers. This marks the most they have made beyond the arc in conference play.
“I thought we scored the ball very well tonight,” Phillips said. “Obviously really proud of the guys and the energy we came out with, but we have got to be better defensively”.
Utah Tech ended with 80 points on 58.6% (34-of-58) shooting, marking the Trailblazers’ best offensive outing this season.
Despite allowing 80 points defensively, the Wolverines outscored Utah Tech 96-80, coming out on top for its fifth consecutive conference win.
“I think the strength of this team is we can play a lot of different ways,” Phillips added. “We can play our opponents in the 40’s, 50’s or even the 90’s like we did tonight. I’m just happy about how they played tonight.”
Toolson got the Wolverines off to a good start by knocking down his first triple of the game, leading Utah Valley to a quick 5-0 start. However, Utah Tech scored eight straight points, tying the game 8-8.
Utah Valley then took their largest lead of the game when Noah Taitz checked in, as he knocked down a three-pointer, taking a 15-10 lead with 12:34 to go.
Utah Tech eventually took their first lead of the game at the 10-minute mark: 17-16.
In the remaining 10 minutes of the first half, neither team gave an inch, going through 13 lead changes. Utah Tech took a 42-40 lead into the half after Tennessee Rainwater finished a tough layup down the lane in the final seconds.
Utah Valley ignited on a 10-2 run right out of the gate that was led on by two triples from Leonhardt and Toolson.
Utah Tech then scored six straight, trimming the lead back down to two: 52-50.
Jackson Holcombe, who has been the difference maker for Utah Valley recently, continued to will the Wolverines on, as he found Ethan Potter for a slam dunk and followed it by an and-1 finish on the ensuing possession.
Holcombe continued to provide a spark for the Wolverines, getting a block on one end that led to a beautiful finish on the other, giving Utah Valley a 11 point lead with 10:11 left.
The Wolverines continued to cling to a 10 point lead despite Utah Tech’s efficiency on the offensive side.
Welling’s slam dunk with 5:27 to play initiated a 16-6 run, closing out the game and lifting the Wolverines over Utah Tech 96-80. Utah Valley improved to 13-6 on the season and a perfect 5-0 mark in conference play.
Utah Valley now travels on the road for a three game stretch starting with California Baptist on Thursday, Jan 23 @8:00p.m MT.
This game will be nationally televised on ESPNU and air live on the Wolverine Sports Network.
