Photo by Colin Cooper
Despite a tough opening schedule with a five-game road trip, the Wolverines are currently on a roll. Two home games in Orem have provided the Wolverines with two much needed wins, and there have been definite performance improvements from the team as they’ve looked to move forward from their tough season start.
The first home win was against Dixie State, with the team overcoming a six-point deficit in the first quarter and responding by scoring 23 points in the second quarter to give them a six-point lead going into the half. The Wolverines ended up winning 72-63, led by a 20-point performance from Mariah Seals and a 19-point showing from Taylor Christensen.
For a second time at home, the Wolverines proved to be a force to be reckoned with against Southern Utah. The first half was very close, and the Wolverines went into the locker room only ahead by one point. A second half surge led the team to their second straight win, beating out the Thunderbirds 69-61.
There have been key differences in UVU’s wins and losses this season. During their 0-5 road stretch, the Wolverines shot 31.8 percent from the court with the low point being 29.1 percent against a top-25 ranked Oregon State team. In their two wins, the Wolverines have shot 40.4 percent – an 8.6 percent difference. Another big sign of improvement has been in rebounds, the team snatching 33 rebounds in its win over Dixie State and grabbing a season high 42 against SUU.
The two seniors, Christensen and Seals, have played a large part in the two wins. Christensen has had three straight 19-point performances, and put up nine of those 19 in the fourth quarter to lead the charge in beating SUU. Seals put up 20 against Dixie State and 15 against SUU, giving huge contributions in both games. Not only have both players put up points, but have had a huge influence on defense as well, combining for a total of 13 steals in the wins.
The Wolverines head out for a single road game against Pepperdine, and then return to Orem for a six-game home stretch. Things have been much different the last two games for the team, and it looks to keep up the good work as it begins to play the bulk of its regular season.
